An universal history, from the earliest accounts to the present time

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1

■i.J._l-— -

"1

TAYLOR INSTITUTION.

BEQUEATHED

TO THE UNIYERSITY
ROBERT FINCH, M.A.,

OF UALLIOL C0L,I>R(5K.

Z23I £. 2.0?:^

/

..* *

"^■».

i

i

♦ ,-

4 -^

•

'>■■

J*.

- > . ^ N '

Univerial Hiftory,

F R O M T H E

Earlieft Accounts to the Prefent Time.

Compiled from

ORIGINAL AUTHORS.

Illuftrated with
CHARTS, MAPS, N O T E S, &c,

AND

A GENERAL INDEX to the Whole.

awtp ircpoi awm^otw Itko^a^* Bafit. Imp. ad Leoii. fiK

V o L. x;

==i

LONDON,

Printed .for C^Bathurst, J. F. and C. Rivington, A* Hamil«
TON, T. Payne, T. Uongman, S. C&owder, B.Law, T,
Becket,J.Rob8on,F. Newbery,G.Robinson,T.Cadell,
J. and T, Bowles, S, Bl adon, J. Murray, and W.Fox.

MeCCLXXX.

$

CONTE NT S

OF THE

TENTH VOLUME.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

The Confular State of Rome, from the Beginhing of
that Government, to the Burning of the City by
• the Gauls.
$£CT. I. From theSxpulfion of the Tarquins, to the

Death of Coriolanus, page 1

n. From the Death of Coriolanus, to the Ap-
pointment of Decemvirs, 7 1

III. From the Creation of the Decemvirs, to the

Burning of the City by the Gauls^ 1 28

^C H A P. XXXIX

From the Rebuilding of Romcj to the firft Punic or
Carthaginian . War.

Sect. I. From the Rebuilding of the City, to the Ro-
man Army being forced by the Samnites
to pafs under the Yoke ; and the Treaty
with that People, • 194

II. From the Nomination of Q^ Fabius Am-
buftus to be Didator, to the firft Carthagi-
nian War, * 2^8

C H A P. XL.

The Hiftory of Rome, from the firft Carthaginian

War to the fecond.

Sect.

CONTENT S.

Sect. I. From the Commencement of the firft Car-
thaginian War,. to the Deatk of th« Con-
fulRegulus, 3Sf

II. From the Death of Regulus, to the taking
of Saguntum hy the Carthaginians, . 38ar

CHAP. XW.

The Hiftory of Rome, from the Beginning to thi^
Endof the fecond Carthaginian War.. ,

Sect. I. From, the Commencement of thi«f fecond
Carjth^gini^n War, to the retaking oi Sa-
guntum* • . 4?^

DIRE.CTIO.NS for placing the COPPER.PLATES.

A Plan of B^me, containipg it« feveral Additions,
from the Time of Servius Tullius to that of its be-
ing taken bythe'Gaub, page x
Map of Africa Proper, 366
Map of Africa Proper and Numldiai 366
Map of the Route which Hannibat took, through

Gaul, and over, the Alps into It^ly,^ ' 423

Map of Ancient Spain, ' 449

AN

Univerlal Hiftory,

FROM THE

Earlieft Accounts to the Prefent Time^

CHAP, xxxviir.

l^he Confular State of Rome, from the Begin-'
ning of that Government ^ to the Burning of
the City by the Gauls.

S E C T^ I.

From the Expulfion of the Tarquins to the Death of.
Coriolanus.

ROME enjoyed profound peace in the beginning ^^^ confuh

of the new government. The army which had and^eopU

ferved under Tarquin before Ardea, having re- /wear, that

turned to the city, the confuls, iiifpeaing they might *tiiy t^itl

preferve fome inclination for their genferal, called them j^%l

together in the Campus Martius ; and, after having ex- «rarquin

faofted them to concord, catifed the decree which was Teiny

pafled againft the Tarquins, to be renewed in their pre-, other^ t$

fence. Then the confuls, (landing before the altars on ^^^2f^

which the entrails of the viftims had been offered, took '^^'
an oath, in the name of their children, and all tSeir pof-
terity, that they would never replace either Tarquin, or
his Ions, or any of his family, on the throne, nor create
any other king of Rome, nor fuffer any to be eledlcd. . The
Vol. X. , B people

rqutns^

Romi.

rhefi-flrex
/acrorum.

Tfie ittha*
kitanis of
Tarquinii
Jend an
gmbaffy to
Jiome, in
favour of
ihi Tar.
^uim.

The Roman Hiftotj.

, people having taken the fame oath, they proceeded to tbe
eleftion of a rex facrprum, when Manius Papirius, a
jnan of patrician extraftion, was, by the fufFragcs of tbe
people, raifed the firft to that dignity. The confuls, hav-
ing now nothing to fear from the people, who were rc-
ftored to all their ancient' rights, employed themfelves in
fecuring the fenators, among whom Valerius had great
intereft. He. had expe£ked to be named cpnful at the
fuft eledlion } and the preference givien to Collatinns had
difpleafed him to fuch a degree, that he had abfented
himfclf from the fenate, and began to be fufpefted of
favouring the banilhcd king : but the public appreheniloa
ceafed, when he appeared in the fenate on the day ap-
pointed for the fenators to take the fame oath which the
people had taken.' He then (ignalized aneTwhis love for
liberty, and fwore the firft, that he would never favour
the pretenfions of the Tarquins, nor fufFer them, or any
jDtbcrt^ever to reign at Rome ■. .

While thefc meafures were taken at Rome, Tarqum
was not idle. He had made Tarquinii, in Hctruria, his
place of refidence, and prevailed upon the inhabitants to
fend an embafTy to Rome, with a letter from him to the
Roman people. The ambafladors delivered the letter to
the fcnate, demanding that it might be read to the peo-
ple aflembled in the comitia. But Valerius ftrenuoufly
oppofed this demand, as dangerous to the commonwealth,
jmd by his intereft in the fenate defeated the firft attempt
of the artful Tarquin. As this body of the new com-
monwealth wa3 above all others concerned to exclude
kings, by whom they had *been kept in a ftate of depeil*
dence, the confuls thought it neceffary to reftore the fe.-
nate to its ancient majefty, and to conciliate the refpe£k
of the people j as well by the number of the feuators as
by their dignity. With this view the ancient number of
three hundred was once more completed, by filling up
the vacant places with men of prudence and intereft,
chofen from among tlfe Roman knights. Thefe new fe-
nators were called confcripti 5 that is, perfons written of
enrolled on the fame lift j for they were added to the old
fenators.

Though Tarquin himfelf was hated both by the peo*
pie and patricians, a great number of young debauchees
cfpoufed the intereft of his fons. The Tarquins, build-
ing their hopes on thefe young noblemen, who regretted

* Pion. Hal. lib, V. p. %^^t ajS. Liv. lib, it cap. i, %•

the

r

^he Romm Hifloryk ' y

the lofs of their compdtiibnsi and the fuppoiters df theif
extravagance, prevailed with the Tarquinienfes to fend a
fecond erahaffy to Rome, under pretence of demanding
the eftates of the exiles, but in reality to excite a faftion
againft the confuls. The ambafladors, being admitted
jiito the fenate, fpoke with great modefty and referve ;
they only defired, that the king's paternal eftate might be
reftored to him, that part of it at leaft which had been
tranfmitted to him by his grandfather Tarquinius IPrifcus,
■who had deferved no ill treatment at their hands. Colla-
tinus declared for complying with the demand, fince the
king promifed, in cafe it was complied with, never to at*
t^mpt the recovery of the kingdom-by force of arms. , But
Brutus op pofed the demand, thinking it no good polic^y
to furnifti an enemy with money, which Vould undoubtedly
be employed againft themfelves. The affair being at laft
referred to the people, it was carried by one vote in the
comitia, that the Tarquins fhould be put in poffeffion of
their paternal eftates **.

"While the people were employed in loading carriages The am*
■with the effedls of the exiles, and felling what could not ^^IaJor$
be carried off, the ambaffadors embraced that opportunity ^^^^If ^^^
to engage fome young noblemen in a plot againft the youn^fa-
conflils. Among thefe were three of the Aquilian fa- iridans i$
mily, the fons of CoUatinus' fifter, and two Vitellii, whofe ^t^ot.
fifter Brutus had married. The latter engaged in the
iame confpiracy Titus and Tiberius, the two fons of Bru*
tus. The confpirators met at the houfe of the Aquilii ;
and there the refolution of putting the coifuls to death|
and letting the Tarquins into i;||e city by night, was taken^
in prefence of the ambafladors. They bound, themfelvea
by folemn oaths, with the deteftable ceremony of drink-
ing the blood of a murdered man, and f wearing over his
yet quivering entrails, that they would do all that lay
in their power to deftroy the confuls, and reftore the king*
After this execrable ceremony, ea<:h of them wrote a let-
ter to -the king, as an authentic proof of their zeal for hia
intereft, and put them into the hands of his ambaffadors.
But notwithftanding all the precaution ufed by the con-
fpirators to keep the fecret from their fervants, Vindiclus,
or, as Plutarch calls him, Vindex, a flave of the Aquilii,
fufpe£ting his matter's defign, ftaid at the door of the
apartment, and> through a crevice, faw all the myfteries

i» Dion. Halic« ibid. p. J178— »88. Lit* lib -ii. cap. 3, 5. Flutr
uiPppIic.

B z of

^ r ^he RomM Hifiory.

of the confpiracy. However, he was afraid to difcloTe
the fecret to cither of the confuls, apprehending, that
Brutus, to fave his fons, and CoUatinus, to fecure the
lives of his nephews, might think fit to deftroy the fingle
^r ^^' d ^^*^^"^^ *^f ^^^^^ crime. He went, therefore, to P. Va-
jcov^t • lerius, whofe houfe was always open to the meaneft of

• the people, and revealed all thofe particulars. Valerius
took the flav^ under his prptedion \ and, having fhut bim

*^ up in an apartment, under the care of his wife, went
out, attended by his friends, clients, and domeftics, whom
be divided into two bands ; one he pofted, under the
*- condu£l of his brother M. Valerius, at the entrance of

the houte of. the Aquilii ; while himfelf, with a ftfong
guard, entered the apaitment of the ambaiTadors, who
» lodged in the fame houfe, and there found and feized the

. ' ' letters, which the confpirators had written the night be-
fore. As he was coming out, he met the Aquilii ; who,
being furprifed to fee him, and fufpe£ting that their let-
' ters were feized, endeax^oured to force them from him.
But all their endeavours were in vain ; Valerius not only
kept them^ but, with the affiftance of his attendants, tool
the principal of the confpirators prifoncrs. M. Valerius,
• his brother, had alfo the good fortune to intercept other

letters, concealed among fome cloaths which the domef-
tics of the Aquilii were carrying away ^.

Early next morning the pebple were fummoned to the
comitia, where Brutus and his colleague fat on the tri-
bunal of juftice. The prilbners, being brought before
their judges, vufsre, one ^fter another, tied to flakes, with

• their hands bound behind t|^m. This was fo melanicholy
a fight, that the people could fcarce refrain from tears»
when they beheld, in that condition, the fons of firutus,
whom they looked upon. as their deliverer. But Brutus^
without betraying the leaft concern, began the trial with
the examination of his fons. Vindicius appeared againft
them ; and his teftimony was found unanfwerable. Then.
Brutus ordered the letters to be read, which his fons had
written to the Tarquins. The proof being clear, the pri-
foners made' no defence, but with their tears. ** Titus^
(faid he, fpeaking coldly to the two prifoncrs, without
calling them fons), and you, Tiberius, what have you to
offer in your defence ?" When they were thrice called
upon to make their defence, tears were ftill their only an-
fwer. The greater part of the auditors were moved with

^ Dion. Hal. Liv. ibid, PJut. in Poplic,

compaiHon^

» *

The Koman Hiftory. '^

oompafficMi, and a confufed murmur of '«• Banifli them,
banifli them," was heard among the fcnators. Collatinus
wept ; and Valerius, fevere as he was, did not utter a fingJe ' *

wofd« This favourable difpofition gave the two guilty
youths foin^ hopes; 'while the whole aflembly trembled,
and expefbed the decifion with horror.
. As the two criminals ofiered nothing in their defence,
Brutus at length rofe up to give fentence : upon which
enfued a profound filence, every one being concerned for
the young men, as for their own children. But Brutus, Brutus cofi-
with a determinedair, and fteady voice, turning to the ^^^^'^^^^^
li^iors, who were the executioners, *^ To vou, liftors,' ^/J^^
laid he, I deliver them; execute the law.'* At thefe
words a loud (hriek was heard in the aflembly 5 diftrefs .
2^)peared in every face ; and the mournful looks of the
people pleaded for pity ; but the conful fliewing>no regard
to their tears, the whole aflembiy exclaimed with c^e
voice, *' We give them back to their dountry, and to
their family.** Neither thefe intercefSons, nor the h-
raentations of the young men, who called Upon their fa-
ther with the moft endearing names, could foften the in-
flexible judge : he would not even abate of the punifh- *
ment, which was, in fucb cafes, inffrflled on the greateft
criminals. . The lidlors, having ftripped fhem riaked,
Mi^ tied their hands behind them, fir ft beat them with
rods, then ftruck off their heads, Brutus all the while be-
holding the bloody fpeftacle with a ftedfaft look, and un-
altered countenance. This execution being performed^
he came down from the tribunal, quitted the comitia, and
kft the reft of the criminals to the difcretion of his col«
league \

Collatinus, inclined to fpare his nephews, allowed them Collatinus
one day to clear thcmfelves ; and even ordered that Vin- " inclined
dicius fliould be taken out of the hands of the accufers, *^IP^'''f^
and delivered up to his mafters. This ftcp roufed the ^'^ *^^*
zeal of Valerius, who had promifed to protefl: the evi-
dence. The liftors attempted in vain to force the im-
portant witnefs from him ; and the people called for Bru-
tus, iniifting upon his coming back to the comitia. This
inflexible patriot, without having betrayed the leaft mark
of human infirmity, appeared again, and, afcending the
tribunal, told the multitude, that what he had done was
by virtue of his paternal authority over his children j but
that, for the reft 9f the delinquents, it belonged to them

d Dion. Hal, & Plut. ibid. Li v. lib. ii. cap. $>

B3 t9

Htthejf

The Redman Uijiory^

to determine their fate, and either condemn his fevcrity
by inftances of lenity, or approve his firmnefs by exam-
ples of juftice.

Thus three articles of great importance to the rifing
commonwealth were left to the decifion of the curiae ;
to wit, I. What punifliment fhould be infli£^ed on the reft
pf the confpirators. 2* What punifliment the ambafla-
dors of the Tarquinienfes had dcferved. 3. What re-
ward fliould be given to the difcoverer of the confpiracy.
As to the firft, they determined, that the confpirators
(hould, without exception, fuffcr as rebels ; which decree
was accordingly executed. As to the fccond, the ambaf-
fadors were fparcd from refpeft to the law of nations. In
the third place, it was decreed, that Vindicius fliould en-
joy that liberty which he had fecu^ ed to the Romans (A) \
I and

(Allt is commonly believ-
ed, that the Latin phrafe,
** vindicare in libertatem,"that
is, ** to fet free," had its rife
from the name of Vindicius.
Some, indeed, derive it from
the word 'vindi^a^ which iig-
nifies a luand^ with which the
praetor ufed to llrike the flave
whofe mafter was difpofed to
fet him at liberty. But pro-
bably, the vindi^ta, or wand
itfelf, took its name from Via-
flicius. The ceremony of
granting freedoms publicly was
thus performed : the Have was
Ijrought before the conful, and,
in after- a^ es, before the prae-r
tor, by his mafter ; who, lay-
^g his hand upon his flave*s

head, faid to the praetor,
*' Hunc horainum liberum efle
volo,** ** I delire this man may
be made free ;** he then to<3c
him by the hand, and imme*
diately let go his hold ; whence
came the Latin word manu-
miifio, and the phrafe ** e ma-
nu emittere/* Then he gjM.
him a blow on the cheek, ana
prefented him to the coni\]l or
praetor, who, after ftriking him
gently with his vindicSa or
wand, pronounced thefe words^
*' Aio te liberum effe more
Quiritium : I pronounce thee
free, according to the cuf-
tom of the Romans," Hence
Perfius,

Vindifta poflquam mcus a praetore recefli.
When dubbM a freeman by the praetor's wand,
I walk'd at large, and at my own command.

This ceremony being ended, the cap was performed in the

temple of Feronia, the goddefs
of freed-men. In this temple
there was a feat of fbne with
this infcription 3

the flave was regiftered upon
the roll of freedrmen. Then
lie ws^Si (h^ved, and received a
cap, in token of his liberty.
3ut this ceremony of taking

Benemeriti fervi fedeant, furgant liberi.

lie fcatcd, worthy fl^vcs, while frccjpicn ftand.

Th«

' ihe Roman Hlftory.

and befides, that he fliould be rewarded with all the pri-
vileges of a Roman citizen, and with twenty-five thoa«
fand afes of brafs, to be paid him out of the public trea-
fury. Though the people had formerly decreed, that the
eftates of the Tarquins (hould be reftored to them, the
fcnate refufed to the declared enemies of Rome thofc
means which they defigned to make ufe of for its deftruc-
tion ; fo that their palace, with its beautiful portico, was
deftroycd, and their lands were diftributed among thofe
indigent citizens who had none of their own. The public
kept only a piece of ground, lying between the city and
the Tiber, bordering on the Campus Martins, which the
king had, by an incroachmenfe on the city, added to his
demefhcs, and cultivated for his own profit. This piece
of ground was confecrated to Mars, and became afterwards
a common field, where the Roman youth exercifed them-
felves in running and wreftling. After the field was con-
fecrated, the Romans fcrupled making any advantage of the
com which they found ready rieaped to their hands ; and
therefore threw it, together with the trees which encom-
pafled the field, into the Tiber. The water being at that
lime being vpfy low, the trees, and (heaves of corn, (lop-
ping in a muddy place, began to form that ifland, which^
from the many temples built on it, was afterwards called
<»HolyIfiand«(B>.

« Dion. Hal. & Plut ibid. Liv. lib. v.

The pileus, or cap, was, a- to the fenatorial dignity (i),

mong the Romans, as is well From thefe two manners of

known, a fymbol of liberty, conferring freedom came the

Anotherway of conferring free- Latin exprefiions, «* liber ma-

dom was by teftament : a flave numiflione, liber teflamento."

was (aid to be free by teftament, (B) The Romans t}uilt fe-

when his mailer, in confidera- veral temples on the idand,

don of his faithful fervice, had particularly three frequently

left him free by his lail will, fpoken of by the ancients ;

This kind of liberti, or freed- namely, one dedicated to Fau-

men, were ftyled orcini, be- nus, another to Jupiter, and

caufe their matters were gone the third to iEfculapius, which

to orcus, or the infernal re- was a very magnificent Uruc-

gions. In allufion to this cuf- tiire. From thefe temples it

torn, thofe fenators were mer- was called the Sacred Ifland*

rily diftiuguifhed by the name It was joined to the city, and

of fenatores orcini, who, upon to the Janiculum, by two

the death of Julius Csefar, bridges, whence it took the

thruft themfelves into the fe- name of the lilaud of the Two

l^ate, without any jud claim Bridges. '
(i) Suet, in O^av. cap. 35.

B 4 In

8 , The Roman Hjftory.

MrutusJIirs Iti the mean time, the weaknefs which Collatjjijus had
up the peth betrayed at the trial of the confpirators, had turned the
^.^/ff^' fijfpicions which the people entertained of him iuto ha«
tred ; and Brutus took advantage of the difpofition of the
niultitude to get him depofed. In a numerous affembly
of the people, he bitterly inveighed againfl: him, as if he
. had attempted the deflruftion of that liberty vhich .his
honour obliged him to defend. He ended his harangue
with thefe words : ** His foliciting to reftore to the ene-
mies of Rome their eftates, and to grant impunity to cruet
confpirators, have unmafked a partifan of the Tarqulns,
concealed under the appearance of a conful. Let us pre-
vent, O Romans, the evils which a domeflic enemy is
preparing for us. Let us deprive him of that authority,
which he abufes, and wreft that fword out of his hand
with which he threatens us. In my judgment he ought to
be depofed. I therefore order you .to affemble by curiae,^
to determine by your fuffrages, whether GoUatinus oe
Brutus is to be your confuL You cannot have both; foe
I, from this moment, renounce the confulfhip, if Colla-f
tinus is to Ihare the government with me'* Thefe words
made fo deep an imprefEoh on the minds of the people^
that they would not hear Collatinus when he began to
foeak in his own defence. His only refource was to.fbr-
Did the people, by virtue of his authority as conful, J||
hold the affembly his colleague bad appointed. This
prohibition was a new provocation, which raifed the in-
dignation of the people to fucb a; height, that they cried
out to have their votes inftaptly taken, and were going to
depofe Collatinus with ignominy, and banifh him by a
public decree ; but Spurius Lucretius, his father-in-laWj
having obtained leave of the confuls to fpeak to the aflem-
bly, advifed Collatinus voluntarily too refigninto the hands
of the people that authority he had received from them.
Then he exhorted Brutus not to infift on the ^difgraceful
banilhment of a colleague, who, jointly wifh him, had
been one of the principal authors of the common liberty ;
adding, that if Collatinus fhould, of his own aqcord^ di?
veil himfelf of the confulfliip, it would be but reafonable,
that the Romans (hould mitigate the uneafinefs of his vo<f
luntary retirement by their liberality, fo as to enable him'
to fupport the dignity, of a ikoman conful in his retire-
Cellatinus ment. This advice was received with univerfal applaufe.
Jorced to CoHatinus rcfigned the confulfliip ; and Brutus, after
abdicate hiving commended his wifdom, to fliew that he had
/ ^ro«/« - ^^^ perfonal enmity, procured him a prefent of twenty.

talents.

Xi^e Roman Hiftory; ^

t^knts ©ut of the pvthWc trerfury, to which he added ffra
talents, of his own* ColUtinus retired to Lavinanm, whera
he led a quiet tifei aod died In a very advanced age ^(C)*

Brutus, that, the people might have noroorar to fufpeft iKyaUrm$
he iniende^ to goi^era fingly» imtnediately aSbmhled the^ ischcftuf -
people hy centuries in the Campus Martins, for the elec* fucceti^
tion of a new confuU when PuUius Valerius was chofen,. ^^*"^
^ maa vemarkable for his eloquence;^ for the talent of re>»
conciting differences, an exceifive ahftemioufnels, feveiity
tp himfelf, and compaiBon for the miferies of other men.
As the two tonfuls were equally eminent for their love of
^rtue^ ^nd of the public good, there was a perfeft harmonv
i^etween ^hem. They began their adminiflration by paflil
ii^ a law, which granted a general amnefty to all thofe
whot bad followed.the fortune of the Tarquins, provided
^y returned to the city within twenty days. This wife
pcec^ution diepriiresd the bani&ed king of a great number
of friends and foldiers, and brought back to Rome many
perfoas of eminent parts «. However, Tarquin was not
£0 difcouiraged by the defertion of the Romans, ais to 1o£b
^11 hopes of recovering the kingdom, and of obtaining bjr
^ce what be could not tStGt hy fitratagem : he had re«
QOUrJb to the Veientes, the old enemies of the Romans i
and, having engaged them, and the Tarquinienles, to unite 'The T^r- .
lll^ forces in. fupport of his caafe, advanced towards 9««»^A'
]^me. The canfuls, without delay, marched out to J|,* J^^/^J -
ijMet him 5 Brutus qonunanded the horfe, and Vakrius fir ^ar-
the foot,, drawn up in a fquare battalion. When the two quin^
s^rmies were in fight of each other» a motion was made oat
both fides to begin the onfet. Brutus advanced with his
cavalry; and Arunx, one of Tarquin's fons, at the fame
time, camq forward, at the head of the enemy's horfe.
Arunx no fooner difcovered Brutus, attended by the lie-
tors, than, inflamed with rage, he cried out, ** There he
&, the enemy of my family, the ufurper of my father'si
t;hrone/' So faying, he pulhed on his horfe ; and Brutus
. flew to meet him*. As the twQ champions were hurried
on more by hatred and rage than the love of glory, paflion ^ .

' f Dion. HaK p. 186. Liv. lib« ii. cap, a. Plut. ibid. s Dion.

Hal. p. 288 — S92.

(C)Diohyfiusof Halicarnaf* ing his relation of thefe tranf-

iu8 differs in his account of this aftions more agreeable to the

whole ipatter from Plutarch, tempei; of Brutua.
whom we haye foilowed, think*

left

w

Brutus
JUUM imihg
engage*
miui.

rhiHe-

fruriattt
ntire i9
ikeir own
Huntfy.

FaUriut

triumphs*

Honourj

paid to

mrutus of-

terhis

4taih.

FfiliriUS

fafpeaedby

thtptopU.

The Roman Hi/lory •

left no room on either fide for fkill and precaution : thef
rufhed on to the encounter with fuch fury, that they'
were both run through the body. Their horfes meeting-
each other with a violent (hock) threw their dying riders ;
and the death of thefe generals was the prelude to the*
battle^ which continued till night with dubious fuccefs :
for it was not known in either camp which £de had gain-'
ed the viSory, or which had loft the greater number of
men ; but, in the nightj the Hetrurians, being terrified
by a voice proceeding from the neighbouring woods of
Arfia, declaring the Ilomans conquerors (without doubt
a ftratagem of Valerius), abandoned their camp in great
confufion, and returned into their own country. Then
Valerius, remaining mafter of the field, plundered the-
enemy's camp ; and, having caufed th« flain to be num-
bered, found that the Hetrurians had loft eleven thoufand'
three hundred men^ and the Romans but one man (hort
of that number *.

For this vi£lory Valerius triumphed on his return to the
city. Soon after he buried his colleague Brutus with great
pomp ; and gave Rome the firft example of thofe funeral
orations, which were after made in commendation of
great men. The women diftinguiflied themfelves on this
occafion; for, looking upon Brutus as the avenger of the
honour of their fex,.they mourned for him a whole yenr
(D). As Valerius deferred for fome time convening the-
centiiriea for the eledion of a new conful, the Romans^
who carried their love of liberty to excefs» began to put a
bad conftru£iion upon his delays $ and their jealoufy was,

^ Idem ibid.

(P) Brutus is defervedly
counted, by all the ancients,
^among the moft illuftrious he-
roes we find mentioned in hif*
tory. He reftored liberty to
his countty, fecured it with
the blood of his own Tons, and
died in defending it againft an
ufurper. The Romans looked
upon kim as a fecond founder
of their city, and owned, that
he had undergone more hard-
fliips and dangers in eflablifli*
ing the commonwealth, than
Romulus had done ia founding

the kingdom. The Romans
afterwards erefted his ftatue in
the Capitol, where he was plac-
ed in the midft of the kings of
Rome, with a naked fword in
his hand. It plainly appears,
that he left no ifiue ; and yet
Tuilly mentions Lucius Brutus,
one of the chief confpirajtort
againft Caefar,. as lineally de««
fcended from the firft conful ;
but herein he is contradi6led
by moft of the ancients, who
tell us, that Junius Brutus leff
BO childfea behind him*

The Roman iTtHmy. i%i

111 fome megifure, countenanced by his buiMing at that-
time a fine houfe, on a fteep part of the hill Palatinus^
which commanded the forum. But Valerius, being in-
fprmed of their uneafineft, caufed the houfe to be level-
ed with the ground the very next night. Having called!
the people together as foon as it was day, he expoftulated
with them on their groundlefs fufpicions, defired them to
view the ruins of that building which had given them um-
brage, and told them, that he defigned to fix his habita-
tion in the valley, that they might, from the top of the
hill, crufli him with ftones, if he was ftill the objeS of
their jealoufy.. When he had ended his fpeech, be or-
dered the comitia to affemble for the eleftion of a new
conful. On this occafion, Rome exhibited another proof
of her gratitude to the firft authors of her liberty ; for
Sp. Lucretius, the father of Lucretia, was unanimoufly
chbfen to fucceed Brutus. He was the only perfon re-
maining unrewarded of the four patricians, who had
bound themfelves by oath, to deliver their country from fla-
very : he was therefore named for the confular dignity.
But the new conful died a few days after his eleftion ; fo
that Valerius was once more fole governor. And now faUtiMs
the many proofs, which he gave the people of his zeal for gus tht
their intereft, gained him the* name of Poplicola, or Po- ^ame^
p«fer ; which he ever after retained. He began his ad- ^*^'"f?[
miniftration by ordering the axes, which were fo apt to ^ ^P^**^*
ftrike terror, to be taken out of the fafces, which he oblig-
ed the liftors to lower in the alTemblies of the people.
He made feveral laws in favour of the people, which His laws
greatly retrenched the confular pow#r t by one he allowed infuwu^
an appeal from the confuls to the people: by another he ^-^'^f
dcempted artificers, widows, and old men, who had no ^^^^
children to relieve them, from paying tribute : a third law
prcfcribed an abfolute fubmiffion to the orders of the con-
fuls ; but limited the fine laid upon thofe, who difobeyed*
them, to the value of five oxen, and two rams. He alfo
publiihed a fourth, making it lawful to kill, without
waiting for a legal condemnation, any perfon who (hould
afpire to the fovereign power. Impunity was promifed to
the murderer, provided he could prove the ill defigns of
the perfon he had killed. The laft law he enafted was
with relation to the public money, which he prdered to
Ije removed from his own houfe to the temple of Saturn^,
where it was committed to the care of two fenators of
probity, chofen by the people^ and afterwards called qusef-
'* tori.

m

Thf Roman Hijiory.

t%r% * (E). Poplicoh had no, fooner enaSed thefc laws^
and made feveral other regulations very advantageous for

the

; f Lit. lib. ii. cap. 7, & 8. Dion. Hal. lib. v. p. 29s. Plut. in
Ibplic. p. 101, 103.

(E) According to Plutarch,
. tliere were no quseftors in
.Rome till PopKcola's time ; and
this office was originally an-
nexed to that of the confuls,
or rather a branch of it. But
Ulpian, on the contrary, pre-
tends, and quotes feveral au-
thors to fupport his opinion,
that there were qusedors even in
Tullus Hoftilius*s reign. To
reconcile thefe two opinions,
it is to be obferved, that the
name of quasflors among the
Romans had two different fig-
nifications : fometimes it fig-
nified commiffioners, by whom
capital crimes were cognizable ;
and fometimes magiflrates who .
were put in commiifion for
managing the public money.
IJlpian might fpeak of the
former fort of quaeftors, as be-
ing in the time of the kings ;
and Plutarch of the other,
which was introduced by Po-
pHcola in the time of tTie com-
monwealth. The office of the
quseftors was to take cafe of
tlie public treafure, for which
they were accountable when
their year was out (for their
office la fted no longer) ; tofur-
nifli the neceflary fums for the
lervice of the public ; and to
receive ambalfadors, attend
them, and provide them with
lodgings, and other neceifaries.
When the army returned from
any war, the military eniigns
were pUt into their hands, to

be depofited by them in the
temple of Saturn. A general
could not obtain the honours
of a triumph, till he had given
them a faithful account*of the
fpoils taken from the enemy,
and (Worn to it. Though the
quseftors had no jurifdi6tion,«
that is, couid not cite any per*
(on to appear before them, or
imprifon a man, and mi^t be
fummoned to appear before
the praetor ; ** Neque vo-
cationem, neque prehenfio-
nem habebant, atcjue ad prae-
torem in jus vocan poterant,"
(fays Aulus Geinus(i); yet
the moft illufirious patricians,*
and even thofe who had been*
confuls, did not think this of-
fice beneath them. We Bbl^
in the ancient annak, that Ti*
tus Quindtius Capitolinus, and.
Mr Valerius, were quaeftors,
after they had enjoyed the ho*
nour of the conililihip three
times. Cato the elder accepted
the q.uaeftorfliip after he' had
triumphed, and difcharged the
firft and moil honourable em^"
ployments of che republic.
There were at firft two quasf*
tors only, and thofe of the pa*
trician order ; but, as their
bufinefs encreafed, it was
thought advifeable to create
two more, whofe province wa»
confined to the paying of the
armies abroad, and the felling
of the plunder and booty.
When this regulation came to

(i) AuL GeL lib. xii. cap, 13.

u

Th€ Roman Hjftory.

4ie people, tlian he aflembled the comitia for the eleftion
of a new conful, which he had deferred, only becaufe he

appre-

ii

be pafTed into a law by the peo-
ple, the tribunes infifted, that
It ihould not pafs but upon
condition, that two of the four
quxftors (hould be plebeians.
This demand the fenate and
confuls oppofed at firft ; but
were at length obliged to yield
to the demands of the tribunes.
Thefe new quaftors were call-
ed quaeftores confulares, mi-
litares, and peregrin!. They
attended the Roman armies,
p^d the troops, and fold the
fpoils and prifoners taken from
the enemy. The other quaf*
tors were called qusflores sera-
rii and urbani, becaufe they
were quaeftors of the treafury,
and reiided at Rome. In the
laft conftilihip of Fabius Gur-

fes, that is, about the year of
Lome 488, the great increafe
of the republic caufed the
D umbel of the quaeflors to be
doubled. The four new ones
were called provincial quaef-
tors; and each of them had
his province where he rcfided ;
thofe parts of Italy, which were
fubjea to Rome, being divided
into four large provinces or di-
ftri^. The provincial quaef-
tors were afterwards multipli**
ed, in proportion as the re-
public enlarged her conquells.
The military quaeftors, and
the urbani, or thofe who re-
iided in Rome, had neither
curule chairs, nor lidors, nor
apparitores, nor any other
marks of diflin<Stion annexed
to their office ; nay, they were
obliged to appear before the
praetor, when fummoned by the
meaneft of the citizens; but

the provincial quaeftors, to in-
creafd' the ftate of the Roman
people, were allowed to appear
in their provinces with the
praetexta, and guarded by lie-
tors with their fa fees. This
is plain from feveral paffages
in Tully. In his third ora-
tion againft Verres, ** The
two Sicilian quaeftors, (fays he),
came before me with their
fafces ;" and, in his oration
for Plancius, he acknowleges
it as a favour, that Plancius,
though then quaeftor, came to
receive him at Dyrrhachiura
without his lidtors, and the
ufual marks of his dignity.
The office of the provincial
quajftors was to take the fame
care of the revenues of the pro-
vinces, which the quaeftores
aerarii had of the revenues at
Rome. They were particu-
larly concerned in all cafes re-
lating to provifions ; and no
contra6t for corn could be made
without them. The four pro-
vincial quaedorfhips were
fought for by the moft ambi-
tious, before Rome had ex-
tended her conquefls beyond
Italy; but when fhe had
brought the Eaft and Weft under
fubjedtion, and great kingdoms
were become fo many pro-
vinces, the four Italian ones
began to be defpifed. The
proconfuls and proprastors, that
IS, the governors of thofe pro-
vinces and kingdoms, had each
his quaeftor to take care of the
revenues ; and then the quaef^
toHhips of the large and diftant
provinces were moft greedily
fought for by thofe who were
qualified

14

Xhe koman Hifiary*

apprehended ) tliat a colleague might poffibly o^pofe bdl
defign of diminiftiing the confular power. The choice-
fell upon Hbratius rulvillus ; and in a few months after
his ele£lion, the firft year of the confular power expired.
• Poplicola was chofen again, and with him was joined
T. Lucretius, the brother of the famous Lucretia. The
new confuls revived the cenfus and the luftrUm, and oii
thatoccafion, found one hundred and thirty thoufand men
in Rome, who were at. Or paft, the age of puberty ^.
ITr. of Fl. ^^ ^^^ mean while Poplicola's fccond confulfliip being
1844,. expired, he was chofen a third time, and with him Ho«
Ante Chr. ratius Pulvillus, who had- before been conful for a few
U c\ ii^oi^^hs* During their confulfhip, Porfena, king of th^

ic Dion. Hal, lib. v* p. )o4* Pfut. ibid. p. \o^ Liv. lib. ii* cap. S.

qualified to (land candidates for
tbem. They were there out
of the fight of the fenate, and
fometimes in rich governments,
where they could raifc more
nooney, and were more ho-
noured and refpe6led : for this
teafon, when the quaeftors
drew lots in the prefencc of
the Roman tribes for the quaef«>
torfhips, the perfon, to whom
any of fhe Italian ones fell, be-
came the jeft of the people.
** He goes to the waters,'* faid
the people; meaning, that he
was going to live quietly near
Rome, as thofe Romans did,
who went to Baiae or Puteoli
for the waters. Some think
that this proverb alludes to the
pificeof the Italian quaeftors,
who were often obliged to go
fo the fca -ports to collect the
, impofls the republic had laid
pn exported goods. The quaef-
tors were firft chofen by the
people, and afterwards by the
^onfuls, the quaeftoHhip being
originally a branch of their of-
fice. In Tuliy's time they were
again chofen by the people in

(.) Polyb, lib.fi

the comitia by tribes, f ho
office of quftftor, though often
difcharg^ by perfons who had
been confuls, was the firft ftep
to great employments. None
could ftand tor the quxfbrfhip
till they attained to a certain
age ; but to determine the ex-
aS age the laws required, is no
eafy matter. Some pretend,
that none could undertake thi*
office till they* were twenty-
feven, and quote Polybius in
favour of their opinion ; for
that author writes (2), that the
qucftorfhip was not to be ob-^
tained till after ten years fer-
vice in the army ; and the Ro-
mans ufually entered into the
army at the age of feventeen.
Others think, that the age fix«
ed by the law was twenty-four
or twenty-five. In procefs of
time, when honours were ob-
tained by intrigues and farour,
thefe laws were negle6^ed ; for
Caefar and PoUio were quxf-
tors, as Quintilian informs u»
(3), long before they were of
the age the law required.

(3) Qtfintili lib. xiit

Luctn?>

The Roman Hijlory. ' %^

*Clufini, one of the twelve nations of Hetruriai being Porfetia^
gained hy the great . promifes of Tarquin, efpoufed his ^^^g*/
caufe, and, at the head of a prodigious multitude of He- ^J^**'
trurians, advanced to the banks of the Tiber. The firft tkig^g
poll he attacked was the fort of the Janiculum, of which ^ahi Tat*
be made himfclf mafter, obliging the Romans to retire f«w«
£)ver the bridge into the city. This firft ihock threw tl^erti
into confufion^ but the confuls^ encouraging their men,
paffed the river with the utmoft expedition, and drew
them up in order of battle beyond the bridge. Porfena
immediately advanced to engage them. The viftory was
long doubtful } but M. Valerius, Poplicola's brother, and
.T. Lucretius, who were at the head of the left wing, be-
ing both wounded, and carried out of the field, a general
terror feized the Roman army. Horatius Codes, a brave The re-
Roman, having endeavoured in vain to rally the difpirited ^^rkabh
legions, refolved rather to. die than abandon his poft. ^^'^^U ^f
.Being joined by Sp* Lartius, and T. Herminius, thefe Cqcu!!^*
three heroes placed themfelves in the narrow pafs which
led to the bridge ; and there, calling out to the Romans
to break it down, valiantly oppofed the enemy, till the
demolition of the bridge was near completed. Then Ho-
Vatius, having prevailed upon his companions to crofs the
river on a few planks which remained, fuftained. for fomc '
dme alone the attack of the enemy. At length, being-
bounded in the thigh, upon a fignal given him that the
bridge was quite de^olifhed, he leaped into the river, and
reached the oppofite bank, through a ftiower of darts.
Thus, by the wonderful bravery of one man, were the
city and republic faved from impending ruin. The whole
city was fo fenfible of this fervice, that they all haftened
to pay their acknowlegements to their deliverer. They
crowned him at his arrival ; carried him on their arms
from the place where he landed into the city ; and erected
Ids ftatue of brafs in the temple of Vulcan. The fenate
gave him as much land as one plough could enclofe within
a circular furrow in one day ; and though there Was a

freat fcarcity in Rome, yet the inhabitants, to the num-
er of three hundred thoufand, aflefled themfelves to
make him a prefent of as much provifions as each of
them confumed in a day. However, as Horatius had
but one eye, whence he was furnamed Codes, and con-
tinued lame the remaining part of his life, thefe defcdla
prev'ented his ever b^ing ele£):ed conful *.

1 Iah, lib, ii. ^ap. 9, 19. piod. Hal. lih* v, p. S93—S195.

V . At

tfi

reducid t0
great diffi*
cultiei hy
famim.

Tht difpt-
rate enter"
prize, and
nvonderfiU
refoiuiiofif
0f Mucins
Sctinfola.

The Roman Hijlory^

As Porfena was made.- of the country on both fides of
the river, it was very difficult to find provifions for fo
great a number of inhabitants. A famine therefore begafi
to be felt, and many of the indigent populace, who, in
fuch cafes, are the firft fufFerers, went to feek bread in the
enemy's camp ; but the confuls fupported the courage of
the beft citizens, by afluring them, that a cdnvoy of corn
Would foon arrive in the camp from Pometia. Their ex-
peftations were not difappointed ; for many boats loaded
with corn fafely entered the port of Rome in the night.
In a fliort time the city was again reduced to great diffi-
culties ; which Porfena having Notice of, fent the Roman
intelligence, that he would deliver them from the hunger
they fufFered, if they would receive their old mafters;
but they, notwith (landing their prefent diftrefs, returned
this ^nfwer, ^* That hunger was a lefs evil than flavery
and oppreffion °."

In the mean time the confute formed a fcheme for
drawing the enemy into an ambufcade ; and for that pur-
pofe fpread at Rome a report, which was foon carried into
the Hetrurian camp by the flaves who deferted, that the
next day all the cattle brought thither from the country,
would be fent to graze in the fields under a guard. This
lait drew the enemy into an ambufli, in which five thou-
fandi of them were cut in pieces : but notwithftandlng
this, and fome other fmall advantages, Rome was almoft
exhaufted with fo long a Cege, when Mucius Cordus,-a
young Roman of illuftrious birth, formed a defign, which
raifed the courage of the people. He obtained the con-
fent of the confuls and fenate, to execute a plan which
he had formed againft the enemy. Thus authorifed, he
crofTed the^ Tiber in the Herturian habit, entered the
enemy's camp undifcovered, mixed with the Hetrurian
foldiers, whofe language he had learned from his infancy,
and made his way to the king's tent. It happened -to be
the day on which the troops were all reviewed and paid ;
and Porfena's fecretary, magnificently drefled, was fitting
on the fame tribunal with the king, giving audience, anj
receiving petitions. Mucius, miftaking him for the king,
leaped upon the tribunal, and with one ftroke of a poig-
nard, which he had*concealed under his garment, laid hini
dead at the king's feet. He then attempted to make his
cfcape through the multitude that flood amazed at fo bold
and unexpeQed an attempt^ but being feized, and

<n Dion. Hal. ibid.

brought

The Rotnan Hijiory^ 1^

btought back to the tribunal, which he had juft ftaiiied With
bloodi ** Execrable affafTin (faid the king), who art thou ?
whence comeftthou ? who are thy accomplices ?" Mucius,
lefs terrified than his judge, replied, " I am a Roman, and
my name isMucius Cordus. My defign was to deliverRome
from her moft cruel enemy; diicharge therefore all thy fury
upon me. Thou haft been an eye-witnefs of my courage j
now try my conftancy with tortures \ and then thou wilt
be forced to confefs, that Roman bravery has made me
capable both of attempting whatever man can do, and fuf*
fering what human nature can endure." This refolute
anfwer filled Porfena with amazement ; but he was Hill
more ifurprifpd, when he faw the Roman, with a fteady
countenance, thruft his right hand into a pan of burning
coals, and there hold.it for fome time, without fliewing
any figns of pain. The king's refentment was changed
into admiration. Porfena granted him his life and liberty,
and even reftofed him jhe dagger which he had intended
to ufe againft his life. Mucius, who had now loft the
ufe of his right hand, took it with his left j ahd thence ac-
quired the furname of Scaevola, that is, Zr^/^A^Wii/^i™.

Mucius was in his turn charmed with the generofity of
his enemy; but had theprefence of mind to invent a ftory
for the fervice of his country. He pretended to difcover
to the king a plot, which, he faid, was formed at Rome
againft his life by three hundred young Romans, all as re-
folute as himfelf, who were difperfed in the Hetrurian
camp, and had bound themfelves, by the moft facred
oaths, tc) attempt his life one after another, until his death
fliould be efFedled. Porfena, ftruck with terror at this Porftnalnk^
pretended difcovery, as foon as Mucius Mfas retired, called timidtUid
a council to deliberate about the means of preferving him- ^ ^^^ cow
felf from the dangers which threatened him'. His friends ^^f^^ns
and counfellors fuggefted various precautions ; but none
of them feeming fufHcient to remove his uneafinefs, his
fon Arunx, a great admirer of the Roman virtue, advifed
him to render all precautions needlefs, by abandoning the
caufe of a few exiles, and concluding a peace with the
Romans. His advice made an impreffiori on Porfena ; and Porfina
as the Hetrurians had already begun to complain of the defiftsfmm
length of the fiege, he fent deputies to Rome, whofe de- ^^*' demand
mands (hewed, that their mafter had much abated of his ^f^^'l'^S
former pretenGons; for they did. not infift on the refto- f%lfld.
ration of the Tarquins, but only on the reftitution of their
cftates, or an equivalent. In regard of their own nation^

" Liv. lib. ii* cap. is. Plat, in Poplic,
Vol. X. C they

l8 . 7he Roman Hijiory.

they required the Rortians to reinftate the Vcientes in the
pofl'effion of feven villages, which they had taken fron^
them in former wars. The ambaffadors were received at
Rome with joy \ and their demands being heard in the
fenate, Poplicola prevailed upon the fenators to comply
with them ; but the people would not confent to the firft
article, until Porfena fliould have heard the (Irong reafons
they had to ofFer againll it, and then they (they faid),
would be willing to leave it to his arbitration. As to the
villages, they readily agreed to their being reftored, and
even offered hoftages for the performance of this article.
A truce being agreed on, the Romans fent deputies to
Porfena^s camp, to plead their caufe againil the Tarquins,
and with them the hoftages they had promifed, ten young
men, and as many virgins, of the moft illuftrious families
in Rome.

Among thefe were the fons of Horatius, the conful,
Valeria, the daughter of Poplicola, and the famous Clae-
lia. The reception Porfena gave the Roman envoys,
raifed the jealoufy of the Tarquins, who, ftill retaining
their ancient pride, refufed to admit Porfena for a judge
between them and the Romans. But the king, without
any regard to their oppofition, refolved to fatisfy himfelf,
by an exaft inquiry, whether the protedion he nad given
the Tarquins was juft. Before the caufe was opened be-
fore the Roman deputies,. news were brought, that the
young women, whom the Romans had fent as hoftages,
had ventured to fwim acrofs the Tiber, and were returned
TXf ad' to Rome. They had gone to bathe in the river, when
inntufig^f ciaeiia happening to turn her eyes towards her native city,
*'*' i^as fo attrafted by the fight, that fhe ventured to fwim
acrofs to the other fide ; and her example being happily
followed by her companions, they returned in fafety to
their refpeftive families ** (F). The return of the hoftagea

• Liv. lib. ii. cap. 13.

(F) Authors vary as to the dentally found a horfe, crofled

circumftances of this fad ; for the river on horfeback. Por«

Livy fays, that the young wo- fena having prefented her with

men croired the river in figlit a fine horfe, might have given

of the Hetrurians, who lined rifeto this fable. An equeflri-

the fliore, and in the midfi of an Hatue was eredted to her

the darts which were dif- memory in the Via Sacra,

charged at them from all parts, which, according to Plutarch,,

Aurelius Vi6lor and Florus tell was to be feenin his time (i).
U8, that Claetia . having acci*

(1) Plut. in Poplicol.

gave

The Roman liiftory. 19

give the conful PopHcola great uncafinefs, for he was
afraid that this rafli aflion would be imputed to want of
fidelity ill the Romans. To remove, therefore, all fufpi*
cions, he fent a deputation to the Hetrurian camp, a&
furing the king, that Rome had no (hare in the foolifli
attempt of the young women, and promifing to fend them
immediately back to the camp from whence they had fle^.
Porfena was eafily appeafed \ but when it was known that
the hoftages would fpeedily return, the Tarquins> with-
out any regard to the truce, or refpe<a to the king thcit
protedtor, lay in aihbufh on the road to furprife them.
Poplicola^ having put himfelf at the head of the Roman
troops who efcorted them, fuftaincd the attack of the Tar-
quins, though fudden and unexpefted, till his daughter
Valeria rode full fpeed to the Hetrurian camp, and gave
notice of the danger to which her father and companions
were expofed ; and then Arunx, the king's fon, flying
with a great body of cavalry to their felicf, put the ag*
grefTors to the rout.

This notorious treachery in the Tarquins gave Porfena
ftrong fufpicions of the badncfs of their caufe. He there-
fore aflembled the chief commanders of the Hetrurians,
and having heard in their prefence the complaints of the
Romans, and the juftification of their proceedings againft
the Tarquins, he was fo ftruck with horror at the recital
of the crimes the Tarquins were charged with, that he
immediately ordered them to leave his camp, declaring, Porfgna
that he renounced his alliance with them, and would no ^'"omncfs
longer afford them the rights of hofpitality. He then ^^f J^*^'
commanded the ten virgins to be brought before him, and Tarquinii
enquired who was the firft author, and chief manager,
of their efcape. They all kept filence, till ClaeliaJ her*
felf, with an air of intrepidity, confeiTed, that (he alone
was guilty, and that flie had encouraged the others by her
advice. Upon this declaration, the king, extolling her-
refolution above 'the bravery of Horatius, and the intre-
pidity of Mucius, made her a prefent of a fine horfe, with
fumptuous furiiiture. Then he concluded a peace with andmakit
the Romans, and reftorcd to them all their hoftages, de-^^*f^'
claririg, that their promife was to him fufficient fecurity "^l^J^*
for the performance of the articles p.

This prince exhibited, before his departure, a farther His gem-
tcftimony of his refpeft and friendfhip for the Romans* J^^O' '* '^
He knew that Rome was greatly diftreflTed for want of ***'**'•

P Diofif Hal. p. 304. Liv. lib. ii. cap. 13. Plut. ibid.

C2 pro«

%^

The Roman Hifiory^

provlfions •, but being afraid to offend tie inhabitants bf
relieving them iii a dire£k manner, he ordered his fcildicrs
to leave behind them their tents and neceflaries, and carry
nothing with them but their arms. As his camp abounded
with all forts of provifions, Rome was thus much re-
lieved in her wants. The moveables and corn of the He- .
trurians were fold by auGion to private perfons j and this .
was the origin of the cuftom of making proclamation by
a herald, whenever any effefls belongmg to the public
"v^ere to be fold, in the following words: " Thefe arc.
P6rfena*s goods.*' The defign of this expreffion was to.,
p^eferve th^ memory of that prince's kindnefs. The fe-
nate erefted a ftatiie of the king near the comitium> and
fent an embafly to him with pxefents, confifting of a,
' throne adorned with ivory, a fceptre, a crown of gold>
and a triumphal'robe <i*
. After the departure of Porfena, the Romans firfl re-
warded thofe who had diftinguiihed themfelves during
the fiege, efpecially Mucins Scaevola, tp whom they gave .
ajarge piece of ground belonging- to the public. Their
next Qire was to fhew their gratitude to the gods, b^y fpmc
public a£l of religion \ and as the temple of Jupiter. C^pi-
tolinus had not yet been confecrated, the fenate ordered,
this ceremony to b^ performed. It naturally belonged ta
one of the confuls to adl on this occafion y but it was the
right of the fenate to appoint which of the confuls, flionld,
officiate. The patricians had bee;Q long jealous of the,
glory which Poplicola had acquired in his three cpnfiil-
fliips ; they therefore, in order to deprive him of this mark
of diftin^ion, ordered him to march out againft. fome
Latin troops, that committed ravages in the Roman terri-
tory ; and, in his abfencc, appointed his colleague, Ho-
ratius Pulvillus, to perform the cerernony. As he was
beginning the confecration, Poplicola's brother, Marcus^
exclaimed, ** I give you notice, that your fon has loft his
life in a battle." This information was falfe » but he
hoped by thefe words to interrupt the ceremony. Hora- .
^ tins, however, without (hewing the leaft concern, coldly
replied, " Then let him be buried ;" and finifhed the
cdnfecration '. Spurius Lartius and T. Herminius, who
had fo valiantly defended the bridge, were chofen confuls
for the next year^ which proved a year of peace.

In the confulfliip of M. Valerius, brother to Poplicola^

bines^t'uttci. and P. Pofthumius, who fucceeded the above mentioned

^^ * fl Dion. Hal. p. 303. Liv» lib. ii. cap. 14. & Plut. ibid. ' Plut.

in Foplk, ...

; confulsy

The ttmple
of Jupiter
CapitoU-
j»us confi-
€rated.

«:\V

"fJtt Sa-

f%e Roman Hiftory. zti

^onfttls, the Sabinee, invading the Roman territories, com-
mitted great devaftations. In confequence of this inva-
fion, the two confuls took the field 5 and having divided
•their forces into two bodies, Pofthumius, with one of
them, encamped at a fmall diftance from Rome, to pre-
vent a furprize from the Tarquins, while Valerius polled
himfelf at Tibur upon the Anio. As the Sabines were
•Encamped on the oppofite bank, Valerius, by the advice
^f his brother Poplicola, croffing the river, offered them
battle; which they not declining, a bloody engagement
cnfued, wherein Valerius gained fome advantage with his
right ; but his left being almoft puftied into the river, he
•was very near loling the battle, when his colleague, who
liad notice of the a£ti6n, coming feafonably to his relief, •
attacked the enemy in flank, and put them to flight.
The Sabine troops would have been entirely cut off, if
the darknefs had not given them an opportunity to
cfcape. For this vidory the confuls were decreed a tri-
I umph, and they both entered Rome in the fame chariot.

Valerius is faid to have gained, in the courfe of the fame
year, a fecond viQory over the Sabines, and to have killed
thirteen thoufand of them, without the lofs of one^ Ro-
man. The republic, therefore, as a reward for his
-meritj built a houfe for him ; and, to diftinguifli it
from all others, ordered the door to be fo hung, as to
open outwards to the ftreet; whereas the doors of all
•other houfes opened inwards. As for Pofthumius, he
was allowed to have a burial-place for himfelf and his fa-
mily, within the walls of P..ome ; a privilege never before
granted to any citizen •.

In the courfe of the next year, when Poplicola was con- Yr. of Fl.
ful the fourth time, the Sabines renewed the war. Aftius a '?*pi^
Oaufus, the moft eminent man in Sabinia for riches, va- ^ ^^j^ ^*
Jour, and eloquence, firfl retarded their preparations, by u. C. 14 7,
fpeaking, in all their diets, againft a war with Rome } ■

-and then came over to the Romans, with five thoufand Appius
families of his friends and dependents. On his arrival at ^f!^"!
Rome, he changed his name to Appius Claudius, was ^^isw.*
immediately declared a patrician, and took his place ih
the fenate. Twenty-five acres of land were given him in
fee, and a quarter in the city affigned for his friends and
followers ; to each of whom* were granted two a^res of
jground, with all the rights and privileges of Roman citi-
zens. Thefe donations were made irrevocable by a de*

. ,< Piut. in Poplic. Plin. VA>» xxxvi. cap, 15.

C 3 «rec

%Z The Roman Hiftoty.

crec of the fcnate, confirmed by the fufFragcs of the peo-
ple. The houfe of the Claudii became afterwards one of
the mod illuftrious families of Rome ^
ThiSa* The Sabines> enraged at the departure of Claufu8»

bims df took the field with a very confiderable army j and it was
ftated ^ery lucky for Rome, that they determined to hazard a

^^^ battle before the year of Poplicola's confulfhip was ex-

pired. The Sabine army was divided into two bodies,
one of which encamped in the open field near Fiden« ;
the other kept within the walls of that city, to guard it,
and fecure a retreat to the former body, in cafe they
ihould be defeated. On the other hand, the confuls hav-
ing likewife divided their army into two bodies, marched
• out againft the enemy. Poplicola took poft oppofite the
Sabines } while Lucretius, the other conful, encamped
on an eminence at a fmall diftance from his colleague.
The Romans were eager to engage immediately, and end
the difpute at once by a decifive battle ; but the Sabines,
not daring to venture an engagement in the day-time, re-
folved to make a fudden attack ox^ the enemy's camp in
the night, With this view they prepared great quantities
of fafcines to fill up the ditch, and fcaling-ladders to
mount the ramparts. That body of Sabines, which
guarded Fidenae, was ordered to march out of the town
on the firft fignal, and, fetching a large compafs, to lie
in ambufh behind Lucretius's camp, in order to furprifc
it, when he (hould march to the afliftance of his colleague,
and then charge him in the rear. But Poplicola, receiv
ing timely intelligence of the enemy's defigns, inftantly
• difpatchcd his brother Marcus to the other camp, to ac-
quaint Lucretius with the night-expedition refolved upon
by the Sabines. Both confuls, having taken the neceffary
^ precautions, waited for the enemy, without fufFeriqg their
troops to (hew any rnarks of fufpefting their intentions.
The Sabines marched fiiently out of their camp before
midnight, and drawing near the Roman entrenchments,
filled up the ditch with fafcines, and paffed over to fcale
'the rampart ; hut as they advanced to it, they were, with-*
out any noife, ftabbed by the Romans, who were drawa
up in the fpace between the ditch and the rampart. The
flaughter continued till the moon rofe, when the Sabines
difcovering the dead bodies of their companions, and
the Roman troops, who had ftrewed the ground with
t.bein without being perceived, immediately jied. The

t (,iv. lib^ii* cap.f6.

Jlomani

^he Roman Hifiory. t^

Romans purfued them with loud fhouts; which 'bdtig
heard by Lucretius, he, in his turn^ attacked the body
that lay in ambufli, aijid gained a complete viftory over
them. In this a£tion thirteen thoufand Sabines were killed
on the fpot, and four thoufand two hundred taken pri<-
foners.

Poplicola, taking advantage of the enemy's confterna- ^'^'»^
tion, advanced with all his forcds to Fidenag ; and having ;X^tf.
taken the place by aflault, put to death the breads of \\\t mans, "
revolt ; but fpared the other inhabitants, obliging them
only to furrender part of their lands for the fupport of the
garrifon he left in the city. On his return to Rome, he « r /
was honoured with a triumph ; but foon after died, and ^^^
was buried ;at the expence of the public, as there was not ' '
found in his houfe money enough to defray the charges
of his funeral. He was the moft virtuous citizen, the ^'^ '^^*
grcateft general, and the belt afiefted conful to the ^^^^*
people that Rome had ever produced. He had taken
more care to tranfmit his virtues to his children, than to
enrich them with the goods of fortune. The Romans
thought they could not refufe him a burial-place in the
city } and therefore ereflted a tomb for him near the fo-
rum, and gave his family a right of interment in the fame
place. But as the Valerii always affe£led popularity, they
never made ufe of this privilege, but contented themfelves
with carrying the bodies of thofe who died in Rome to
the fepulchre of the founder of their family, and con-
veying them from thence out of the city, where the aftes
were deposited in a tomb near the walls. As Poplicola
had been one of thofe who exerted himfelf in defence of
the chaftity of the Roman women, they moyrued a whole
' year for bim, as they had mourned before for Brutus.
But his greateft glory was comprifed under the name of
Poplicola (G), which he acquired from his tender regard
for the people ".

The Sabines were no fooner informed of Poplicola's ^*/ 5*4'
death, than they raifed a more numerous army than they *'*'^ ^''

« Dion. Halic^ lib. v. p. 314. Liv. lib. ii< cap. i6. Plutatch in
Poplic. p. 109. .

(G) In feme editions of the tarch, and Dio, call him con*

Latin hiilorians we read Pub- flantly Poplicola, which is an

licola in Head of Poplicola ; abbreviation of Populicola, a

but the Fadi Capitolini, Dio- word denoting his regard for

oyfius of HalicarnaiTug, Plu* the people.

C 4 had

4v«r.

24 ^^^ Reman UifiBty.

had levied in preceding years ; and, having made a fadden
incurfion into the Roman territory, advanced to the very
gates of Rome. P. Pofthumius, who was then conful with
Menenius Agrippa, being provoked at the infolence of the
Sabines, fallied out againfl: them with a large body of meUy
drawn together in a tumultuous manner. . The Sabines, as
foon as he appeared, fled to a neighbouring foreft, where
the main body of their army lay concealed. Pofthumius fol-
lowed them ; but as he drew near the foreft, the Sabines
rallying, faced about, and with loud (faouts gave the fig-
nal to the wh61e army to fall upon the conful's troops*
Pofthumius made an ODftinaterefiftance ; but his men be-
ing much fatigued, and in diforder, he was obKged to re-
tire with great loCs. To complete his misfortune, he was
intercepted in his retreat by a body of Sabmes, pofted on
a hill between hitai and the city ; fo that he was forced
to pafs the night in the open field, furrounded on all fides
<>y the enemy^s troops. As foon as the defeat of Poft-
humius was known at Rome, Menenius Agrippa, the
t)ther conful, marched at the head of the braveft youth in
the city, to the relief of his colleague. But the Sabines,
at his approach, retired into Aeir own country ; whence,
elated with their late fuccefs, they fent an infolent mef-
fage to the Romans, requiring them to receive the king
they had baniftied; and to fubmit to the Sabines, by
whom they had been conquered. To this demand the
Romans returned a fuitable anfwer, commanding the Sa- *
bines to return to their former duty; and to come, in ^
fuppliant manner, to beg pardon for their attempts againft
the authority of their matters. After thefe mutual bra-
vadoes, the confuls on one fide, and the Sabines on the
other, took the field again with all the forces of their ref-
peflive ftates. Both armies encamped near Eretum,
^he Ro" about ten miles from Rome, where they foon came to a
^^"'^jj!' general engagement, iil which Pofthumius, defirous to
^;3jrv redeem, his credit, behaved with extraordinary valour,
$vtrthem* and, together with his colleague, obtained a complete
victory. No fooner did the news reach the fenate, than
they decreed a full triumpSi for Mienenius, and an ova-,
tion (H) for Pofthumius, whofe gallant behaviour, in the

late

(H) Authors differ in their of the people in thefe cerc-v
opinions as ro the derivation of monies ; others from the words '
this word : fomc derive it from i*van^ otevoe^ with tvhich the
#/j^, denoting the admiwion Grc^k bacchanals rung. Piu-.

tarch

The kjonim'^Hifidry. Sej

hte aCKon, had not, in the opinion of the fathci^, fuffi-
ctently atoned for his mifcarriage in die beginning of the
war^.

The Sabine war continued ttiider the new eonfuk»
Sp. Caffius Ufcelfintts, and Opiter Virginius Tricoftud.
The former, entering the enemy's country, defeated them
in a pitched battle near Cures, ten thoufand three hun-
, dred of them being killed, and four thoufand taken pri-
Toners. This defeat obliged them to fnt for peace, which, ^ki^fiih.
after many fubmiffions, they purchafed with corn, money, w M
and ten thoufand acres of arable land. While Caffius ^J^*
was thus employed againft the Sabines, his colleague Vir*.
ginius reduced Cameria, a city in the neighbourhood of
Alba, which had revoked from the Romans. Having be-
headed the moft guilty of the. inhabitants, he fold the reft
for Haves, and razed the city *.

In the following confuMhro of Pofthumus Cominius, and ^yj^ LatiMs
T. Lartius, Tarquin, ftill reftlefs, and not yet defpairing of dsclart.ftr
recovering his kingdom by means of his fon-in-law Mami- *«^ ^«r-
iius Ofkavius, prevailed upon the Latins, who had hitherto ^*'**
ftood neuter, to efpoufe his caufe. During the alarm which
^is refolution occafioned at Rome, the Tarquins, in concert
with fome of the inhabitants of Fidense, made themfclvea
mafters of that city. Upon advice of this event, Manius
Tullius, who was raifed this year to the confulftiip, w.th
IServius Sulpitias, marching againft the rebels, clofely
invefted the place, and reduced it to great ftraits. The
befieged, in that extremity, implored the afliftaace of the

«^ Dion. Hal. ubi fopra.

tarch refers the origin of this
word to the kind of vidim,
which was offered to the gods
in the ceremony of the ova-
tion; for, in the triumph, a
bull was facrificed in the Ca-
pitol, but in the ovation only
a (heep ; fo that, according to
this writer, ovatio comes from
the word ovis^ iignifybg a
Jheep. The perfon who was
honoured with an ovation,
entered Rome on foot, or on
borfcback, and was attend-
ed by the feaate only : his
crown was of myrtle, toot of
laurel i and his r^b^ only the

x Liv. lib. ii» cap. 17.

pnetexta, the common habit
of magiflrates* The ovation
of Poflhumius, the firft that
had been ever ieen in Rome,
is marked in the Fafti Capito-
lini, on the third of the nones
of April. Two days after,
Menenius Agrippa appeared
with all the magnificence of
a triumph ; being mounted on
a chariot, feated in a curule
chair, clothed with a robe em*
broidered with palm-branches,
he was condu(5ted to the Capi-
tol with the found of trum*
pets, and the acclamations of
the army and people.

Latins )

7,4 The Roman Hifiwy.

Latins ; and this folicitation occafioned a general meetinjf^

of the deputies from the feveral cities of Latium. In

this aflembly it was debated, whether the Latins ihould

declare in nivoar of the Tarquins and the Fidenates, or

adhere to the ancient treatie between the two nations*

$mthifiri After long debates, it was refolved, that an embafly

^^k^i^ld ^^^^^ ^ ^^"^ ^^ ^^^ Romans with prqpofals, that they

\knftnd fl)oul<^ receive the Tarquins, after they had engaged by

Mimbsfy oath to grant a general amnefty ; and chat they ihould raife

u Rgmi* the iiege of Fidenae. The ambafiadors wer^ dire£ied to

allow the Romans a whole year to confider of fhefe over*

tures } and to threaten them with a war, in cafe they re*

fufed to comply with them. The chief view of Tarquin,

and his partifans in promoting this embafly, was to take

A tonipu that opportunity to raife a fedition in the city. To the

racy jorm^ ambafladors, therefore, of the Latins he joined fome of

gd^Jomi jjjj ^^^ emiffaries, who, on their arrival in Rome, found

%iiieT two forts of people difpofed to enter into their meafures;

smtffarits. namely, the flaves, and the meaner citizens.

The ilaves had formed a confpiracy tbe year before to
feize the Capitol, and fet fire to the city, in feveral quar-
ters* at the fame time. But the plot being difcovered,
thofe who were concerned in it had been all crucified.;
and this execution had highly provoked their whole body.
As for the meaner citizens, who were for the mod part
overwhelmed with debt, and cruelly ufed by their credi-
tors, they knew that no change could happen in the go-
vernment but to their advantage^ Thefe were the con-
fpirators pitched upon ; and to them were afiigned the
following parts to 2,€t : the citizens were to make them-
felves mailers of the ramparts and gates of the city, at an
^appointed hour of the night, and then to raife a great
fhout as a fignal to the flaves, who had engaged to maf-
facre their mailers at the fame inftant : the gates of the
city were then to be opened to the Tarquins, who were
to enter Rome while it was yet reeking with the blood of
the fenators. The confpiracy was ripe for execution,
when Tarquin's principal agents, Publius and Marcus,
both of his own name and family, were fo terrified with
frightful dreams, that they had not courage enough to
pioceed in their defign till they had confulted a diviner»
However, they did not difcover to him the confpiracy \
but only afked him in general terms, what fuccefs they
might expeft in a proje£l they had formed. The footh-
fayer, without the lead hefitation, returned the following
anfwer : ** Your projc(5l will end in your ruin \ dilburdeji

youjr-

The Roman Hiflofy^ tj

yoarfelves of fo heavy a load.** Thus exhorted, the Tar- Thpkt
quins went immediately to S. Sulpitius, the only conful ^/covirgj^
then at Rome, and difcovered the whole defign. The
conful greatly commended themi and detained them in
his houfe, till, by private enquiries, he was affured of the *
truth of their information. Then he affembled the fetiate,
and gave the Latin ambafladors their audience of leave^
with an anfwer to their propofals ; which was, that the
Romans would neither receive the Tarquins» nor raife the
fiege of Fidenas, being all, to a man, ready to facrifice
their lives in defence of their liberty, and willing to un-
dergo any dangers, rather than fubmit to the government
of a tyrant.

The ambafladors being difmifled with this anfwer, and
condu£ted out of the city, Sulpitius laid open to the andtmJ
fathers the dreadful confpiracy» which ftruck them with 9pen to tkg
horror ; but they were all at a l^fs in what manner they /'««^*
Ihouid apprehend and punifii the guilty, fince, by the
law of Poplicola, there was an appeal to the people in all
capital cafes ; and the two witnefles, who were ftrangers,
might be excepted againft by Roman citizens. In this
perplexity they left the whple conduft of this critical
aflPair to Sulpitius, who took, a method which he thought
would equally ferve to prove the guilt and punifh the
guilty. He engaged the two informers to aflemble the con-
A)iratQrs, and to appoint a rendezvous at midnight in the
forum, as if they defigned to take the laft meafures for the
execution of the enterprize. In the mean time he ufed
all proper means to fecure the city, and ordered the Ro-
man knights to hold themfelves ready, in the houfes ad-
joining to the forum, to execute the orders they (hould
receive. The confpirators met at the time and place ap-
pointed by the two Tarquins : the knights, upon a fignal
agreed on before-hand, invefted the forum, and blocked
up all the avenues to it fo clofely, that it was impofDble
for any of the confpirators to make their efcapc. As foon
as it was light the two confuls appeared, with a ftrong
guard, on the tribunal ; for Sulpitiu$ had fent to his col-
league, Manius, who was befieging Fidenae, defiring him
to haften to the city with a chofen body of troops. The
people were convened by curiae, and acquainted with the
conspiracy which had been formed againft the common
liberty. The accufed were allowed to make their defence,
if they had any thing to offer againft the evidence ; but
not one of them denying the faft, the confuls repaired to

the

e«

Jpirators
futto

Yf. of Fl

Ante Chr.

495-
U. C. 153

Fideria
taken,
^he Latin
eities enter
into an al"
liance a-
gainji
Aome.

The poorer
eitizens re»
jufe to
ferv4.

The Roman Hi/lory.

tTie fenate, where fentence of death was pronounced
againft the confpirators, in cafe the people fliould approve
this decifion.

This decree of the fthate being recite^, and approved
by the aflembly, the people were ordered to retire ; and
the confpirators were delivered up to the foldiers, who
put them all to the fword. The peace of Rome was
^thbught fufficiently fecured by this ftroke of fcrerhy j and
therefore, though all the confpirators were not puniOied
with death, it was judged proper not to make any farther
enquiries. The two informers were rewarded with all
the privileges of Roman citizens, a hundred thoufand
.afes, and twenty acres of land. Three feftival-days were
appointed for expiations, facrifices, and public g^mes, by
way of thantfgiving to the gods. But the general joy was
difturbed by a melancholy accidetit 5 as the people were
conducing Manius Tullius, the conful, from the circus
tohishoufe, he fell from his chariot, and d^ed in three
days of the bruifes occafioned by the faiU.

The city of Fidenae was not yet reduced ; it held out
during the following confulfliip of T. ^butius and P. Vc-
turius ; but was taken the next year by T. Lartius, who,
together with Q^ClxHus, Was raffed to the conftilar dig-
nity. The Latins, enraged sit the lofs of this town, began
to complain of their leading men ; which opportunity
Tarquin and Mamilius improved fo far, as to induce all
the Latin cities, twenty-four In number, to enter into an
alliance againft Rome, and to bind themfelves by oath
never to violate their engagements. The Latins made
great preparations, as did likewife the Romans ; but the
latter could procure no affiftance from their neighbours.
The Latin nation being much fuperior to them in ftrength,
they fent deputies to folicit fuccours from the feveral
dates with which they were furrounded ; but their nego-
ciations proved every-where unfuccefsful 5 and the republic
had rebellious fons in her own bofom, who refufed tt)
lend their aid in defence* of their country. The poorer
fort of people, and the debtors, refufed to take the mili-
tary oaths, or to fervcj alleging their poverty, and the
fruitlefs hazards they underwent in fighting for the de-
fence of a city, where they were oppreffed and enflaved
by their creditors. This fpirit of mutiny diffufcd itfelf
among the inferjor clafles, moft of them refufing to enlift

rDmh.>Ballib. v. p. 317—3*3.

them-

The Riman Wfiary*. j^

ttiemielveB) nnkfs tbeir debts were all rexxuttedby a decree
of tbe fenate j they even began to talk of leaving the city
and fettling elfewhere.

The fipnate, apprehending a general infurreflion, af- ^he fenate
fembled to deliberate on the means of quieting thefe do- f/^^TfJ^^
meftic troubles. Some propofed a free reraiiEon of all thepeopU.
debts» as the fafed expedient at that jun£):ure ; others^ '

urged the dangerous confequences of fuch a condefcenfion,^
adviiing them to enlift fuch only as were willing to fcrveig
not doubting but thofe who refufed their afliftance woul4
offer it voluntarily when it was rjo longer defired. Seve-5
xal other expedients were propofed ; but at length they,
agreed, that all a(3:ions for debt fhould be fufpended till
the cpnclufion pf ^he war with the Latins. But this in«^
dulgence the indigent debtors thought only a fufpenfioti
of their mifery ; and therefore it had not the intended,
cfffeft on the minds of the unruly multitude. The fenate
might indeed ha¥C prafecjg«?d the riogteaders of the fedi-
tion ; but the law of Poplicola, called the Valerian law,
whit^ albiMred appeals tio> the aiSembly of the people, waa
a proee£lion for the ^edidMs, who were fure of being ac-'
quitted by the accomplices of their rebellion. The fenate,
Acreforie, to elude th^cffefl of a privilege that put fuch a
reftraint upon their authority, refolved to create one fii-
freme magift'ratejfc whd^ with the title of diftator, fliould judge it
have a^^abfolute powei-fqij^ time : but as this ftep could neceffarjt$
not be taken withoiit ftritiiig at the Jaw of Poplicola, arid create 4
transferring the powie«^ <?f the people, in criminal cafes, to ^^^^*
a magiftrate fuper^r tjot all laws» it was occeiTary to ufe
artifice, in order toi obtain, tbe conibnt of the curiae. The
ibnators, therefbre^repiefented to tii6m>, in a public af-
fembly, that| in fo difficult a eonjun£^ure, when they had
their domeftic quarrel* to decide, and, at the fame time, ar
powerful enemy to repiilfe, it would be expedient to put
the commonwealth under a (ingle governor, who, fupe-
rior to the confuls themfelves, fliould be the arbiter of the^
laws, and, as it were, the father of his country \ that his
power fliould have no limits; but however, left he flioul4
abufe it, they fliould not truft him.wMh it above fin
months. . / - >

The people, not for^feeing the confcquenccs of \k\\^ The people
change, agreed to it; but the greateft difficulty was to' ^i''^' '^^ '^'
find a man duly qualified, in all refpefts, for fo great ^ P^opof^U*
truft. T. Lartius, one of the confuls, feemed to be of ^t
men the moft unexceptionable ; but the fenate, fearii^g.to
offend his colleague by an invidious prejt^r^QCe, g^ve thft

confuls

3?

ItkifirJI

^he Roman ttifiory.

confuls the power of choofing a diftator, and obliged tfaem
to name one, not doubting that Claelius would yield to the
fuperior talents of his colleague ; nor were they difap-»
pointed in their expeftatiort. But Lartius, with the fame
readinefs, named Claelius; and the only conteft was,
which of the two fliould raife the other to the fupreme
authority. Each perfiftcd obftinately in remitting the
dignity to his colleague, till Clxlius, darting up on a
fitdden, abdicated the confulihip, and, after the manner
of an interrcx, proclaimed Titus Lartius di£lator (I), who
thereupon was obliged to take upon him the government
of the republic *.

Lartius affumed as much ftate, after he had entered
upon his office, as he had (hewn modefty in refufing it.
He began by creating, without the participation either of
the fenate or people, a general of the Romaii horfe (K),

< Liv* lib. ii. cap. iS. Dion« Hal, ubi fupra*

, (I) This fupreme officer was
called dictator, either bccaufe
he was diHus^ that is, named
iy the confuU or from his dic-
tating and coramanding what
fliould be done. No one could
bd created dictator till he had
been conful. The time affign-
ed for the duration of the of-
fice was the fpace of fix
months. Thedi^^ator was not
allowed to march out df Italy,
left he ihould take advantage
of the diflance of the place, to
attempt fomething againfl the
common liberty. He was al-
ways to march on foot, except

^ in cafe of a tedious or fudden
expedition ; and then he for-
mally alked leave of the people
to ride ( i )• In all other things
his power was abfolute and un-
controlled. He might pro-
claim war, levy forces, lead

^theni out, difband them, &c.
without confulting the fenate.
He could punifh as he pleafed ;

and from his judgement lay ho
appeal% To mak^ his authority
more aweful, he had always
twenty- four fafces with axes
carried before him. The au-
thority of all other magiftrates
ceafed, or were fubordmate to
h^in. When his authority was
expired, he was not obliged to
give dn' account of any thing
he had' done during his admi-
niflratkm (z).

(K) As the regal power was
revived in t^ie; diSator, he was
allowed to create a chief offi-
cer in the army, under the
name of magifter equitiim , that
is, maper or general of jbe
horfe ^ which anfwered to the
office of the tribunus celerum
in the time of the kings. It
was the fecond dignity in the
Roman flate, but, like the
di^tatorfliip', temporary. The
magifter equitum ferved as the
di6tator*s lieutenant-general,
but fubje^t to his cxprefs order.

(i) Bio. lib. xliv.
Max. Felyb. lib. iii.

Appian. lib. iil.

(a) Plut. in Fab.

an

fhe koman Hiftory. 5 1

an office which lafted only during the diftatorlhip, and
which all fubfequent di£iators revived immediately after
their eledion. Sp. Caffius, formerly conful, and honour-
ed with a triumph, was the perfon he advanced to this
fecond ftatio^ in the republic *. Lartius, having by thefe
means fccured the Roman knights, refolved, in the next
place, to make the people refpeft and fear him. With this
view he never appeared in public, but attended by twen-
ty-four lifftors, to whofe fafces he again added the axes,
which Poplicola had removed. The novelty of this fight
was alone fufficient to awe the feditious, and, without
executions, to fpread confternation throughout Rome.
The murmurs of the inferior claffes being thus filenced, Thtdiaa-
the diftator commanded a cenfus to be takeh, according tw fom-
to the inftitution of king Scrvius, Every one, without ^.^"^ ^
exception, brought in his name aifd age, with the parti- ^xahn^^
culars of his cftate ; and there appeared to be in Rome
one hundred and fifty thoufend feven hundred men, who
were paft the age of puberty. Out of thefe the dictator
formed four armies; the firft he commanded himfelf;
the fecond he gVe to Claelius his late cblieague ; the third
to Sp. Caflius hrs general of the horfe ; and the fourth he
left in Rome, under the command of his brother Sp. Lar-
tius, to guard the city. The Latins wcre'not fo forward
in their preparations. AH their hoftilities againft Rome
this year amounted to no more than the fending a de-
tachment into the Roman territory to lay it wafte. The
dictator gained fome advantage over that 'party 5 and the
great humanity with which he treated the prifoners and
wounded, difpofed the Latins to liften the more readily
to the overtures which he at the fame time made them for
a fufpenfion of hoftilities. At length a truce was agreed Atmctis
on for a year ; and then Lartius, feeing the republic re- ^adt witA
ftored to its former tranquility, refigned the diaatorfhip, ^J^ Lotims
though the time appointed for its duration was not yet *^^^^f*^*
expired ^

The following confulihip ofSempronius Atratinus, and
Mihutius Augurinus, produced nothing memorable. But ,
next year the truce expired, when Aulus Pofl:humius and
T. Virginius took pofleffion of the confulfliip. Both Ro- .
mans and Latins were biified in making the neceflary pre-
parations for war. The nobility of Latium, who were for
the moft part in the intereft of the Tarquins, having found
vieans to exclude the citizens from the Latin diets, car-*

< Liv. ibid. lib. ii, cap, iS, ^ Pk)ii»Hal. Liv.Jbid.

ricd

mg . the Roman Hifiory^

ried all l)efbre them in thofe ailcmblies ; (b that many of

the citizens removed with their families to Rome, 'where

they were well received. The Latins being determined

upon war, the fenate^ notwithftanding' the harmony that

reigned between them and the people^ thought it expe-*

AmwiiC' dlent to create a dictator. The two confuls being em^

ttttw powered to name one of themfelves to that dignity, Vir-

cnatid. ginius readily yielded it to his colleague Pofthumius, as

the more able commander. The new didiator, having

created ^butius £lva his general of the horfe, and di-

vidcd bis army into four bodies* left one of them, unde^

the command of Sempronius, to guard the city» and with

. the other three, commanded by himfelf, Virginlus, andiE^

butius, marched againft the Latinsj who, with an army of

forty thoufand foot, and three thouland horfe, commanded

by i^extus Tarquinlu«f> Titus Tarquinins, and Mamiliu*,

bad already made themfelves mafters of Corbto, a ftrong

place belonging to the republic, and put the garrifon t/Q

the (word. Fofthumius encamped in the night on a fieep

hill near the lake Regillus* and Virginius occupied an*

other hill oppofite to him. .^butius was ordered to marcti

fikntly in the night, with the cavalry and light-armed in^

.faotry, to take poflefllon of a third hill upon the roady bjr

^hich alone provifigns could be brought to the Latins.

fari tf iht Before ;£bu tins had fortififed bis new camp, he was vi«

Koman ar- goroiifly attacked by Lucius Tarquinius, whom he repulf*

myvigor- gd tH^^^ times with great lofc, the di£l:ator having kn%.

T^i ^db ^^^ ^ timely reinforcement. After this attack iEputia§

Lucius ^ intercepted two coijiriers fent by the Volfci to the Latin

Tarqui^ generals, and, by letters found upon them, difcoyexed,

»w. diatj.^. confiderabie army of the Vpuci and Hemici wer^

to join the Latin forces in three days. Upon this intelli*

gence, Pofthumius drew his three podies. of troops tog&«

. ther, amounting h^ all to no more than twenty-four thou^

iaxvd . foot, and one thoufand horfe, with a defign to en^

gage the enemy before the arrival of the fuccours theycx-

peZied. Accordingly he cnoonraged his men, and with

hi3 army in battle array, advanced to the place where th^

enemy was encamped. The Latins, who were much fu-

p.erior to the Romans in number, and befides began to

want proviiions, did not decline the engagement. Titi^

'ijTarqninius, at the head of the Roman exiles and deferters,

was in the centre, Mamilius in the right wing, and Sex-

tus Tarquinius in the left. In the Roman army tlie dic^

tator commanded in the centre, ^butius in the left wing,

and Virgjmius in the right.

The

Tire RomtH Hifiory. 33

The .firft body which advanced was that of the diflator ; The battlg
and, as foon as it began to march, T. Tarquinius, fing- ofRegtUus.
ling him out, ran full fpecd againft him. The didator
did not decline the encounter, but, flying at his adverfary,
wounded him with a javelin in the right fide. The firft
line of the Latins advanced to cover their general ; but he
being carried out of the field, they made but a faint re-
fiftance when charged by the troops of the dictator. They
were deftitute of a leader, and began to retire, when Sex-
tus Tarquinius, taking the place of his brother, brought
them back to the charge, and renewed the fight with fuch
vigour, that, the vidlory in the centre was ftill doubtful.
On the fide of Mamilius and ^butius, both parties, en-
couraged by the example of their leaders, fought with in-
<:redible bravery and refolution* After a long and bloody
contefty the two generals agreed to determine the doubt-
ful viftory by a fingle combat. Accordingly the two
champions pufhed on their horfes againft each other.
^butius with his lance wounded Mamilius in the breaft ;
and Mamilius with his fword difabled iEbytius in the
right arm. Neither of the wounds were mortal; but
both generals falling from their horfes, put an end to the
combat. Marcus Valerius, the brother of Poplicola, fup-
plying the place of ^butius, endeavoured, at the head of
the Roman horfe^ to break the enemy's battalions ; but
was repulfed by the cavalry of the Roman defertfers. At
the fame time Mamilius appeared again in the van, with
a confiderable body of horfe and , light-armed infantry.
Valerius, with the aflTiftance of his two nephews, the fons
of Poplicola, and a chofen troop of volunteers, attempted
to break through the Latin battalions, in order to engage
Mamilius ; but, being furrounded by the Roman exiles,
he received a mortal wound in his fide, fell from his horfe,
and died. The body was carried oflF by the two fons of PopUeolaU
Poplicola, notwithftanding the utmoft efforts 'of the ex- brother
iles, and delivered to Valerius's fervants, who conveyed ^'^'-^^i
it to the Roman camp ; but the young heroes being af-
terwards invefted on all fides, and overpowered by num- andkh
bcrs, were both killed on the fpot. Upon their death, fwofim
the left wing of the Romans began to give ground, but
were foon brought back by Poflihumius, who, with a body
of Roman knights, flying to their afliftance, charged the
exiles with fuch fury, that they were, after an obftinate
refiftance, obliged to give way, and retire in confufion.
In the mean time Titus Horminius, one of the di£liator's
lieutenants, having rallied thofe who had fled, fell upon

Vol, X. D ' ' fome

34

Sextus
Tarqui'
nius killed.

The Latins
defeated^
and their
camp
taken.

Yr. of FI.

1855.
Ante Clir,

493-
U.C. «55.

^hi fUfhoU
Latin na*
tion fub"
mits.

The Roman Hiftory.

fome clofe battalions of the enemy's right wing, which
fiiil kept their ground under the command of Mamilius,
killed him with his own hand, and put that body to flight.
But while he was bufy in ftripping the body of hisenemy,
he received a wound, of which he died foon after.

Sextus Tarquinius in the mean time maintained the
fight with great bravery, at the head of the left wing,
againft the conful Virginius ; and had even broke through
the right wing of the Roman army, when the difkator at-
tacked him unexpectedly with his vi£borious fquadrontti
Then Sextus, having loft at once all hopes of vidlory,
threw himfelf, like one in defpair, into the jaiidft of the
Roman knights, and there funk under a multitude of
wounds, after he had diftinguiflicd himfelf by furprifing
a£ts of valour. The death of the three generals was fol-
lowed by the entire defeat of the Latin army. Their
camp was taken and plundered, and moft of their troops
were cut in pieces •, for of the forty-three thoafand men
who came into the field, not more than ten thoufand re-
turned home Next morning the Volfci and Hernici
came, according to their agreement, to aflift the Latins ;
but finding how the battle had ended) fo^ie of them
were inclined to fall upon the Romans before they could
recover from the fatigue of the preceding day ; but others
thought it more prudent to fend ambafladors to the didla-
tor, to congratulate him on his vi£iory, and afibre him
that they had left their oWo country with no other de-
fign than to aflift Rome in fo dangerous a war. Poft-
humius, by producing their couriers and lettera, gave
them to underftand, that he was acquainted with their
defigns, and treacherous proceedings. However, out of
a regard to the law of nations, he fent them back unhurt,
with a challenge to their generals to fight next day : but
the Volfci, and their confederates, not caring to engage
a viftorious army, decamped in the night, and returned
to their refpeftive countries ^

The Latins, having now no remedy but an entire fub-
miflion, fent ambafiadors to folicit a peace at Rome, yield-
ing thcmfelves abfolutely to the judgement of the fenate.
As Rome had long fince made it a maxim to fpare the
nations which fubmitted, the motion of Titus Lurtius,
the late di6iator, prevailed ; and the ancient treaties with
the Latins were renewed, on condition, however, tha«
they reftored the prifoners they had taken, delivered up

c Dion. Hal. lib. vi. p. 34i*-358. Liv. lib. ii. cap« 19^ 20.

the

The Ronmn Hiftory.

35

the defcfters, and expelled the Roittan exiles from La- ♦

tium. Thus ended the laft war which the Romans waged
with their neighbours on account of their banifhed king,
who, being now abandoned by the Latins, Hetrurians,
and Sabines, retired into Campania, to Ariftodemus, ty-
rant of Cumae, aod there died, in the ninetieth year of Tarquin
his age, and fourteenth of his exile ^. ''''•

The freedom which the Romans recovered by the ex-
pulfion of Tarquin, being now fecurcd to them by the
death of that prince, who was the laft of his family, and
the Latin war ended, greatly to the advantage of the re-
public, Pofthumius laid down his office; the courts of
juftice were again opened ; and the creditors began to
profecute their debtors (L) with more rigour than ever;

which
A Cic. Tufc. nb. ill. n. 17.

(L) When the debtor was
infolvent, the creditor had ii
right to put him in irons, or to
fell him as a Have. After a
certain number of citations, the
law -granted to the debtor
thirty days of grace*, to raife
the ium for which he was ac-
countable. The words of the
law are : " ^ris confeiS, re*
bufque jure judicads, triginti
dies judi funto. Poft dein
man urn endojacito — Vincito
aut nervo, aut compedibua.*'
" When the debt is confefled,
and the trial paifed, let there
be thirty days of forbearance.
Afterwards lay hands on him~>
Bind him either with a cord,
or fetters.** After the thirty
days were expired, if the deb-
tor had not difcharged the
debt, he was led to the prae-
tor, who delivered him over to
the mercy of his creditors.
Tbefe bound him, and kept
him in chains for the fpace of
fixty days. Afterwards, for
three market-days fucceffivcly,
the debtor was brought to the
tribunal of the praetor: then
a public crier proclaimed in the

forum the debt for which the
prifoner was detained. It of-
ten happened, that rich per-
fons redeemed the, prifoner,
by paying his debts; but if
no body appeared in behalf of
the debtor, after the third
'market-day, the creditor had
a right to infli£t the punifh-
ments appointed by the law.
** Tertiis nundinis capite pae*
nas dato, aut trans Tiberim
peregrc venumduito;" that is,
^' Let him, on the third' mar-
ket-day, be puniflied with
death, or fold beyond the Ti-
ber as a flave." If there were
fevcral creditors, they were al-
lowed, in confequence of this,
fevere law, to divide the body
of the prifoner into icvcral
parts, and (hare it among them,
m proportion to the ium they
demanded : but, according to
Quintilian and Csciiius, hu-
manity and cuflom had given
prefcription againft fo barba-
rous a law, which was never
put in execution. This pu*
niihment was changed to coer-
cion ; that is, the creditors
had II right to imprifoa their
D 2 debtors

Domefttc
broils at
Rome.

The Voljci^
encouraged
by the ctvil
feuds, ad-
vance tO'
fwairds
Rome*

7he ple-
beians ri'
fu'e to in'
li/f them*
felviS*

The Roman Hijlory.

which revived the complaints and murmurs am©ng the
inferior clafles^ To prevent the difturbances which thefe
might occafion, the fenate procured the confalihip for
iVppius Claudius, who had ever oppofed, with great
warmth, the pretenfions of the people ; but, left heihould
exert too great feverity ^they gave him for his colleague
P. Servilius, a man oi : gentle and'^humane temper,
greatly beloved by the people. The l^itter exhorted the
fenate, as foon as he entered upon his office, to eafe the
people, and reftrain the feverity of the creditors; but
Appius maintained, that it was a manifeft injuftice to re-
lieve the debtors at the expence of the creditors. The
fenate affemblcd daily, in order to fettle the tranquility of
the city upon a lading foundation 5 but met with fo many
difficjjlties, the confuls being of different opinions, that
they could never come to any copclufion. In the mean
time, the opprefled populace held fecret afTemblies in the
night, and feemed difpofed to rife up in arms ; fo that
the fenate began to apprehend nothing Icfs than a civil
war. In the midft of thefe difturbances, the Volfci, who
were well acquainted with the prefenc ftate of the city,
having drawn together a body of forces, advanced to-
wards Rome, promifing themfelves great advantages ^from
the domeftic diforders, and univerfal cortfu{ion, which
reigned in the city. It was therefore nqceffary for the
confuls to raife an army ; but the Roman youth abfolutely
refufed to ferve. This difobedience ocpafioned new dif-
putes between the confuls, Claudius being inclined to fe-
verity, and Servilius to moderation. As the time drew
near for taking the field againft the Volfci, the fenate de-
creed, that Servilius fhould command the army, and
Claudius govern the city. But though Servilius was
looked upon as a friend to the people, yet they refufed to
inlift themfelves, unlefs the fenate came firft to Come de-
termination about the important affair of debts. Servi-
lius was therefore obliged to march againft the qnemy
with fuch only as offered to ferve from a perfonal affec-
tion to him. The Volfci, depending on the civil broils at
Rome, had not been fo expeditious in their preparations

debtors in their own houfes,
and make them ilaves. Thefe
were called nexi, and not fervi,
bccaufc their llavery lafled no
longer than till their debts
were paid. This coercion was
afterwaids changed into pub-

lic imprifonment, which was a
lefs rigorous punifiiment than
the (lavery the debtors under-
went in the creditors houfes,
where they were often cruelly
treated, and whipped unmer?
cifuU^.

for

The Roman Hifiory. ,57

Ibr the war^ as to be in a condition to oppofe a Roman
army in the field; and therefore they had recourfe to in- TheFolfci
treaties^ by which they prevailed upon the good-natured fue for
conful to favour them, and grant them a peace, upon P^^^/» ^
condition that they fupplied his troops with cloaths and ^ Y
provifions, and delivered to him three hundred hoftages ^
of the beft families *.

Not long after the return of Servilius, the fenate was
informed from Latium, that the Volfci were making ne\(r
preparations for war ; that they had engaged the Hernici
and Sabines to join them againft Rome, and fent depu-
ties to their nation for the fame purpofe. Thefe deputies
the Latin ambaiTadors brought with them, and delivered
them up to the fenate. Such a treacherous method of i^ar dt-
procceding in the Volfci, after they had been fo kindly dared
treated by the conful Servilius, inccnfed the fenate, and ^^f'^'V
war was immediately declared; but while the fenators |r''!!?^
were fitting, a plebeian, loaded with chains, appeared in
the forum. He was advanced in years, tall of ftature,
lean, pale, with his eyes funk in his head, a long beard,
and his hair in diforder. The people looked on him with
great attention, till at length feveral knew him, and re-
membered to have ferved with him in the wars, and to
have feen him fight in the firft ranks of the legions with
great valour. His appearance raifed the compaffion of
the multitude ; but when they heard him gave an account
of his misfortunes, they were filled with rage and indig-
nation. He told them, that he was born free; that he
had, in twenty-eight battles, expofed his life for the good
of his country ; that, in the laft war with the Sabines, he
not only bad been hindered from cultivating his little in-
heritance, but that the enemy, in an incurfion, after hav-
ing pliindered his houfe, had fet it on fire ; that the ne*
ceffities of life, and the tributes, which, notwithfianding
his misfortunes, he was obliged to pay, had forced him
to contraft debts; that the intereft being grown, by de-
grees, to an exccflive fum, he was reduced to the melan-
choly expedient of yielding up his inheritance to difcharge
part of it 5 but that the mercilefs creditor, not being yet
quite paid, had dragged him to prifon, with two of his
children ; that, to oblige him to haften the payment of
the refidue, he had delivered him over to his flaves^ who,
by his order, had fcourged him with the utmoft barbarity.
At the fame time he flung off his garment, and difcovercd

e Dion. Hal. p* 361—367. Liv. lib. ii. cap. 22— 26,

D 3 his

39

Thifeopli
incenfetU

the^att.

Strvitius
appeafes
the tumuli.

Tht e9nfHh

The Roman Hiftory.

his back ftiU bloody, and, on his breaft, the fears of the
honourable wounds which he had received in fighting
for his country.

At this afFefting fpeftaclc, the people, already ripe for
fedition, uttered a thoufand execrations againft the patri-
cians, and made fuch outcries, as terrified the fenate,
who were then fitting. The people flocked from all quar*
ters into the forum ; the artificers left their (hops ; and
thofe who were confined for debt, having found means
to efcape from their creditors, with the fqualid figure they
made in their tattered cloaths, and the noife of their
chains, raifed both pity and indignation. Thefc unhappy
wretches fpread themfelves all over the city; and, if ahy
one offered to flop them, he was immediately mafiacred
by the enraged ^multitude. The conful Appius, feeing
that the fury of the mutineers was like to fall upon him,
left the fenate, and, by favour of the tumult, reached his
own houfe in fafcty. Servilius, having pulled oflF his
robe, that he might be more agreeable to the peo-
ple, ran into the thickeft of the crowd ; and, though he
embfaced fome, threw himfelf at the feet of others, and
fliewed great compaffion for all, yet he could not pre-
vail upon them to fufpend afts of violence for that
day, till he had promifed that the fenate (hould have
regard to their complaints ; nay, he went farther, and
proclaimed, ^y a herald, that no one (hould moleft any
Roman citizen for debt, till the fenate had decreed other-
wife '.

Next day the forunr> was filled, both with citizens and
country people, brought thither by their common intereft.
The fenate alTembled ; and Servilius laid before them
the abfolute neceflfity, in fuch a conjunfture, of abating
the feverity of the laws. On the other hand, Appius
pretended, that this, projeft tended to the ruin of the fub-
ordination neceffary in a well-governed ftate ; and that
the condefcenfion which Servilius '^'as for (hewing to the
TieccfTities of the people, would be looked upon by thafe-
ditioOs only as a difguifed weaknefs, and fo breed new
pretenfions. As Appius could not bear contradiftion, his
fpeech was tindured with the har(hnefs of his manners i
he even defcended to perfonal refleftions, and reprefented
brs colleague as a vile flatterer of the plebeians, and a fa-'
vourer of the revolt. Servilius, in his turn, reproached
\i\xn with the obflinacy of his temper, his pride, and ani^

f IhktD ibidf

mpfity

The Roman Hiftory. 39

mofity to the people. The fenators were divided between •
thefe two great m«n 5 (b that there was no end of their
difputes. In the mean time, the pcopie cxpcfted with
impatience a decree in their favour ; and there not being
a fufHcient number of fenatqrs alTembled for that purpofe,
they imputed their abfence to the 'management of the con-
fuls, in order to fruftrate their hopes. While the people
'were yet in the foriim, they faw fome horfemen come full
fpeed to acquaint the Romans, that the Volfci were ad- The Volfii
vancing, with a defign X^ befiege Rome. The plebeians ^f^^vahce 10
were overjoyed to fee thqj.^ountry in danger j and when ^^'<^'
the debtors were invited to take up arms in defence of the ^'"'*
common liberty, they (hewed the chains with which
their creditors had loaded them : ** Is it not the fame
thing to us (faid they), whether thefe fhackles are put
on us by the enemy, or by our own, countrymen ? Let the
patricians expofe their lives, fince they alone reap advan-
tage from our viftories. Shall we make a rampart with
our bodies^ only to hinder the enemy from pulling down
our prifons, and carrying away our chains ?^ It was ne-
ceffary, in this (extremity, that fomething ftiould be done
to quell the tumult^ and induce the people to lend their
afliftance againft an infulting/enemy.

Appius wasobftinate and inflexible ; but Servillus was Theconfui
prevailed upon by his friends to make the people fuch pro- Ser*viitus
mifes in the name of the fenate, as the fenators were '«^«^«/^*
firmly refolved never to perform. He told them, that it P^T^^^^^
was not confiftent with the dignity of the fenate to com-
ply with their demands, from motives of fear j but that^
when the war ihould be ended, it would, in gratitude, re-
mit all their debts. This promife abated the fury of the
populace; and reading a decree, which paflcd the fame
day, entirely quelled it. All creditors were thereby forbid-
den to profecute^ any Roman citizen for debt, who was
willing to ferve j but the creditors were commanded to
profecute all fuch debtors with the utmoft feverity, a3
either (hould refufe to ferve, or defert after they were in-
rolled. To this wife law Rome owed her prefervation ;
for it was no fooner publiflied, than niultitudes crouded to
the Capitol, and even made intereft to be admitted into
the legions. When the levies were completed, Scrvilius
marched to meet the enemy, and encamped near the Pon-
tine lake ; where the Volfci, attempting to furprife his Diftau
camp, were entirely defeated. The conful, to reward his the yoiftu
foldicrs> gave them all the'fpoil, that they might be

D 4. en-

40 • The Roman Hifiory.

enabled to pay their debts (M). He then marched to
andtaiis Suefla Pometia, the capiul of the Volfci, took it by
their capi- j^ffault, and put all to the fword who were able to bear
^^* arms. He gave Hkewife this wealthy city to be plun-

dered by the foldiers, without referving any part of the
fpoil for the public treafury. In the mean time Appius,
who had been left in Rome, beheaded the three hundred
hoftages. which the Volfci had given to the'Romans^ upon
Servilius's firft expedition K

So glorious a campaign merited a triumph for the con*

ful) who returned to the city with hopes of obtaining it |

Be is re* but, on his arrival, he was informed, that his colleague

fuftda Appius had perfuaded the fenate to refufe him that ho*

triumph \ nour, under pretence that he was a fediiious man, who

aimed at popularity, by an exceffive indulgence and pro-

fufenefs to his foldiers. Servilius, being fenfibly affefted

with the unjuft proceedings of the fenate, took a boldftep,

which afterwards proved s^lfatal precedent to his country.

He np fooner arrived before the walls of Rome, which

none were allowed to enter who demanded a triumph,

than he caufed the people to be called together in a field,

and there complained to them, both of the jealoufy of his

colleague, and the injuftice of the fenate : upon which com^

plaint, the people encouraged him, by their acclamationSf

hut tri' to attempt whatever he pleafed. With regard therefore

umphs iff to the decif^on of the fenate, he decreed himfelf a tri-

^tfecf tht ujnph, and marched, with the ufual pomp, to the Capitol,

J "<* f* followed by his army, and attended by all the people \

While the populace amufed themfelves with public
games and rejoicings, on account of the viftory over the
Volfci, ambafladors arrived from the Aurunci, demand-
ing, that the Roman garrifon in Ecetra, a Volfciantown,
which had lately fubmitted to Rome, fhould be removed
from theiice; and adding threats, in cafe of refufal. As
F.cetra ftood on the confines of the country of the Au^r
f iiqci, they had taken umbrage at the neighbourhood of .

g Dion. Hal. & Liv. ibid. ^ Idem ibid.

(M) It was cuilomary, ih du6l of thefe fpoiU was gene*

the beginning of the common- rally applied to the building of

wealth, to divide the Ipoils be- temples, the celebrating of

tween the vicftorious ^rmy and public games, or the adorning

\\\t public treafury. The pro- of the city ( i),
(0 Plin, lib. iii, cap. 5,

th»t

The Roman Hifiory.

that garrifon. The feaate fent the envoys hack with thU
anfwer ; " Go, tell your matters, that it is a dangerous
thing to attack thofe whofe very neighbourhood is for-
midable to them," The Aurunci, provoked at this an-
fwer, entered Latium, and advanced as far as Aricia $
where they were met by the Roman army, under the
command of Servilius, and the famous Pofthumius, fur-
named Regillenfis, from the viftory he had gained over
the Latins at the lake Regillus. The battle that'enfued
was very bloody ; but the Romans, though at firft greatly
difheartened at the gigantic ftature, ferocity, and mar-
tial air, of the enemy, gained at length a complete
vi£tory, and made themfelves matters of the camp of the
Aurunci, who retired into their own country '.

Of all the plebeians, who fervid in this and in the late
war with the Volfci, none behaved with more gallantry
than thofe who were mott in debt : the people therefore
thought, that, after fo many victories, they might demand
of the fenate the performance of Servilius's promife.
But the inflexible Appius feemed to redouble the feverity
of the judgements he gave againft fuch debtors as were
brought before his tribunal: he ordered all thofe who had
been fet at liberty during the war to be brought back to
their prifons by force. Thofe who were arretted appealed
to Servilius, urging the promifes he had made before the
campaign, and the fervices they had done in the war ;
but Appius having got the afcendant in the fenate, Servi-
lius had not interett enough to prevail upon them to fulfil
his promife given in their name, or to protedt the un-
happy debtors : fo that he became as much defpifed as
Appius was hated. This contempt appeared very remark-
ably, when the time came to confecrate a temple, which
had been ere£led to Mercury. The confecrator was to
enjoy confiderable powers and privileges; and, on this
account, the fenate, unwilling to difgutt either Appius
or Servilius, referred the whole matter to the people*
The curix were therefore aflembled, with full power to
choofe a confecrator ; and they, to Ihew how much they
were difpleafed with both the confuls, bettowed the ho-
nour of confecrating the temple on one Laetorius, who
was only a centurion. Appius and Servilius, equally en-
raged at this mark of difrefpeft, joined with the fenate
in putting the laws in execution againtt debtors with the
Utmoft feverity ; but the people, paying no regard to their

4^

ruftci intgr

fiutedy and
their camp
taken.

Thtftrve-
rityofAp*
pius to-
njoards tht
dibtws.

Str*vilius
treated by
the people

tempt.
Becomes^
their ent-

' Pion, H^l. (c Liv. ibid.

authority,

j^Z * The Roman H^ory.

authority, when any plebeian was profecuted for debtj
crowded into the forum^ and made fuch a clamour, that the
fentence pronounced by the judges could not be heafd.
Thej no longer endeavoured to appeafe their creditors, or
mollify the fenate by entreaties, but infulted both ; fo
that the patricians, and not the plebeians, were now in
danger of imprifonment and flavery K
ni S^" In the mean time, the Sabines, encouraged by thefe in-

^'/Va tcftine broils, revolted, and engaged the Roman colony of
iht piopii Medulla to enter into an alliance with them ; which was
re/ufe t9 confirmed by 'mutual oaths. The new confuls, A. Vir-
Jitrvi* ginius and T. Veturius, both men of little note, fum-

moned the tribes, in order to raife an army for the war
which threatened them; but the people obflinately re-
fufed to enlift, till fuch time as all debts (hould be can-
celled. The confuls, afcending their tribunal, called upon
one of the moft faftious by name to be inrolled. As the.
man did not anfwer the fummons, he was inftantly feized ;
but the populace refcued him out of the liftors hands, and
infulted both the confuls and patricians who attended
them. While the city was thus rent into fadions, and
all things fcemcd to tend to a civil war, envoys arrived
from the Latins and Cruftumini, complaining of the hofti-
lities of the ^qui and Sabines ; and, at the fame time,
^he Volfd ambaifadors came from the Volfci, demanding reftitution
threaten a ^f the lands which had been taken from them in the late
'^^''' war. Thefe embaffics filled the Romans with confterna-

tion, or joy, according to the party each had embraced.
As it was neceffary to give all thefe deputies proper an-
fwcrs, the fenate aflembled, and, after long debates, re-
turned the following anfwer to the ambafladors of the
Volfci ; " That it was not confiftent with the honour of
the republic to comply with their demands.** As to the
Latins and Cruftumini, who were in alliance with Rome,
they were aifured, that the republic would not leave them
cxpofed to the infults of their enemies. With thefe an-
fwers the ambafladors were difmifled ; but as Rome could
neither proteft her allies, nor repulfe her enemies, unlefs
peace were firft eftablifhcd at home, the fenate met again
next day, to deliberate upon the methods neceflary to rc-
ftore the public tranquility.

The conful Virginius declared for protefting thofc
debtors who had fought fo fuccefsfully the laft year, and
for leaving the others to the feverity of the law. Titus

k J.iv, ibid.

Lartlusj

S'be Roman Hiftory. 43

Lartius, that venerable fenator, who had been formerly
diftator, pleaded in behalf of all debtors. Appius enu-
merated all the motives which had engaged him to fide
with the patricians ; declared that he could not change
his opinion ; urged the dangerous confequences of violat-
ing con trades between debtors and creditors \ and, in the
clofe of his fpeech, propofed naming a didator in the pre-
fent extremity. This expedient was thought dangerous
by fome of the oldeft feriators; but the motion was car-
ried by a majority. Manius Valerius, a man of fcventy MaMtmt
years of age, brother to the famous Poplicola, was no- raierius^
minated by one of the confuk, contrary to the law, which ^''ofAfr i§
required, that the didator (hould be chofen out of fuch ^^P^^^^j^^
as had been, or were aftually confuls ; but as no man was dtSaur.
judged more proper for that ftation at this time, the ne-
ceffity of the cafe made the fenate overlook this objedlion.
Valerius, as foon as he was proclaimed diftator, named,
for his general of the horfe, Quintus Servilius, brother to
thelaft year's conful. Finding the minds of the people
inclined to his government, he alfcended the tribunal, and
harangued the multitude, reminding them of the great
zeal his family had always fhewed for their intereft, and
defiring their confidence in return. He promifed, that If
they would lend their afliftance, and ferve their country
at this time, he would procure for ihem, from the fenate,
all the reafonable condefcenfions they could expeft :
" And, in the meantime, (faid he), I command that no
mention be made of confifcations or imprifonments during
my adminiftration.** The people, depending on the pro- jjg ^^^.
mifes of the diflator, took arms with pleafiire, and ten njaih luuh
legions were foon raifed, three of which were given to tftepeople
each conful, and four referved for the didator. Vetunus ^^fi^'^f*
was ordered to march againft the iEqui ; Virginius againft
the Volfci ; and the diftq^or himfelf led his legions againft
the Sabines. The three generals were all attended with The JEqui^
fuccefs, and it proved a glorious campaign for the repub- yotfcu and
lie. Valerius, on his return, was honoured with a ,tri- Salines di^
umph. As a farther mark of diftinflion, both the fenate f'^^^r
and the people^agreed in allotting him an honourable
place in the circus at the celebration of the public games ;
and appointed that acurule chair (hould be always placed
there for his accommodation ) an honour which they
made hereditary in his family K

1 Pion. Hal; ibid. Liv« lib. ii. cap. 30, 31.

Valerius^

^^ f%e Roman Hiftory.

neftnati Valerius, remeixibering his promifes to the people, de-
nfufisto manded of the fenate the performance of them; but the
'•f*^ patrician ufurers had made fuch a party, during his ab-
dlmatU of ^^^^^9 that the fenators not only retufed to comply with
iki SSator ^^^ demands, but reproached him with the afPeflion of his
infuvour family for the plebeians, and betraying the interefts of the
•fthepio* fenate. The prudent dictator, to prevent, in fomc dc-
/*'• gree, the misfortunes which threatened the republic, fent

a colony of poor debtors to Velitrae, which had been juft
taken from the Volfci ; but as there ftill remained a great
number of thofe unhappy perfons, he folicited anew the
fenate in their favour. His motion being rejefted, he told
the fenators in anger, that perhaps, in a (hort time, they
would wifli for fuch an interceflbr with the plebeians ; and,
Hfixeuffs leaving the fenate abruptly, fummoned the people. When
^^^ifelfto ijjg aflembly was formed, he appeared in it with all the
^gmdrifipns cnGgns of his dignity, and, in the firft place, acknowlcged
hU dignity, his obligations to them ; then he made great complaints
of the infmccrc conduft of the fenate, with regard to
both them and him ; and laftly, declared his refolution to
retire, or to furrender himfelf to their difcretion, if they
fufpe£led that he had betrayed their intereft. Having
ended his fpeecb, he laid down his employment, ai^d
ftripped himfelf of the enfigns of the di£tator{hip. The
people, who had heard him with fentiments of refpedl and
veneration, condufted him to his houfe with loud acclama-
tions, as if he had procured the abolition of their debts*
The fenate, to prevent the diforders which they forefaw
muft attend the abdication of an injured dictator, ordered
the two confuls, who ftill held the foldiers engaged by
their oath (N), to lead the army into the field, under pre-
tence that tbeiEqui and Sabines were making frefli prepara-
tions for war. The foldiery, who were apprifed of the arti-
fice, went out of Rome with the utmoft rage ; and, as foon
as they were in the field, fgme of the moft feditious pro-
pofed the aflaflinating of the confuls, not out of any per-

(N) The giving the military fembled the bodies they com-

oath, called facramentum, was, manded ; then one foldierin a

properly fpeaking, the legal legion fwore, in the name of

method of terming the Roman all the reil, to obey the com -

armies. After the foldiers had mander of the Roman army,

been chofen out of each tribe, After this ceremony, every

this oath was adminiftered to foldier came, and lingly en-

them in the following manner : gaged to perform what had

the tribunes of each legion af« been fworn.

fonal

The Roman Hiftmy.

fonal hatred, but merely to free themfelves from the oath
which bound them to their command. Others thought it
would be infamous to put an end to the religious engage-
ments they had entered into with the confuls by criminal
means, and, on that account, rejefted the motion. After
the leaders of the mutiny had confidered of various pro-
jefts, they determined at laft to carry away the military
enfigns and ftandards, and engage all the troops to follow
them without the privity of their officers. This defigii
was executed under the conduQ; of a plebeian, named Si-
cinnius Bellutus. The trpops marched away, and en-
camped beyond the Anio, three miles from Rome, on a
hill, called afterwards the Sacred Mount, as their retreat
was ftyled the feceffion".

The firft meafure of the rebellious army, was, to choofe
a general, and Sicinnius was named for that office.
Then they fecured themfelves within ftrong entrench-
ments, where they lay quiet, without' committing any
hodilities. The confuls and officei'd, feeing themfelves
thus deferted by tfieir troops, difpatched a mefTenger to
Sicinnius, exhorting him to return to the camp, and
bring back the troops to their duty: but he returned fuch
an anfwer, as (hewed, that he was deterinined to keep no
meafures with the patricians. A defertion fo general,
which looked like the beginning of a civil war, gave great
tmeafinefs to the fenatfe, and occafioned a general confter-
nation in the city. The patricians^ were forced to guard
the gates in their own perfons, in order to prevent the citi-
zens from going out to join the malcontents ; but, notwith-
ftanding this precaution, thofe who were burdened with
debts, and fuch as loved novelty, efcaped, and fled to the
•camp of Sicinnius. In this general confufion the fenate
met daily^ and, after warm debated, in which they mu-
tually accufed each other of indulgence and feverity, they
at length agreed to fend a deputation to the malcontents,
offering them a general pardon, and exhorting them to
return to the city. But this ftep only ferved to increafe
the infolence of thefoldiers: the deputies were therefore
fcnt back contemptuoufly, with no other anfwer, than
that the patricians fhould foon find what enemies they had
to deal with. This anfwer occafioned new alarms in
the city".

In th$ mean time the two confuls, whofe magiftracy
was near expiring, aifembled the centuries, which were

^5

7hifol£eri

defert their
gifuruls.

rhefenati
dijputck
tnm depn*
tations U
the mml*
conUmti %

nuhuk
fer*ve amfy
to increafe
their ittfi^

Dion. Hat. ibid, Liv. lib. ii. cap, 3«« a Liv* ibid.

left

^6 ^ fhe Roman Hjftory.

left in Rome for the elc£lion of their fucceflbrs ; and aS
no perfon, at fo dangerous a conjunfture, ftood candidate
for that dignity, they obliged Pofthumiu* Cominius,
and Spurius Caffius Vifcellinus, both confular men, and
equally agreeable to the plebeians and patricians, to ac-
cept the confulfhip. Their firft care was to convene the
fenate, to deliberate lipon the moft fpeedy and eafy me-

W^mdi' thods of reftorinc: peace and union. Menenius Aerippa,
bans tn - P ^ , 1 * 1 1 J n 1 . • ^^

tkt fenate. ^ ^^^ ^^ great integrity, and who had Itood neuter in the
divifions of the people and fenate, being the firft called
jipon to give his opinion, declared warmly for a reconci-
liation with the people, and propofed fending fuch depu-
ties as were agreeable to them, with full power to accom-
modate matters upon whatever conditions they ihould
think neceflary for the good of the republic. M. Valerius,
the late didator, upbraided the fenate with negle&ing his
jbrmer counfels ; accufed them of indifcretion, in hot
ofT^ring the people an abolition of their debts by the firft
deputation ; foretold, that the mutineers would, befides
their firft demands, infift upon lafting fecuritics for their
future prefervation from opprcflion ; and laftly, declared
for the opinion of Menenius, advifing the fenate not to
. delay one moment giving the people fatisfa£lion, let their
demands be what they would. Appius oppofed, in a
very plaufible harangue, the opinion of Menenius and
Valerius, ai\d declared entirely againft treating with the
rebels till they had laid down their arms ; but, on that
, condition, recommended mercy and indulgence. The
fenate was divided ; the old men declared for Menenius
Agrippa and Valerius 9 the young fenators, jealous of the
-prerogatives of their rank, efpoufed the opinion of Appius ;
and the uprpar was fo great, that they almoft came to
blows. The two confuls, who were difpofed to favour
the people, having conferred together in private, deter-
mined to give time to thofe hot fpirits to cool ; and with
that view put off the decijGon of this great anair till an-
other day. But before the aflembly broke up, in order to
intimidate the young fenators, who had oehaved in a
^ very audacious manner, they threatened to exclude them
from the fenate, by fixing the age (O) neceflary for a fe-

nator,

(O) It is manifeft from the fenate ; and yet that there

hence, that the laws had not was a fixed age afterwards rcr

yet determined at what age a quired, " is very certain ; for

perfon might be admitted into TuUy, in fpcakingof Pompey

fays

>

The Roman Hiftory. .-

mtor, ttnlefs they brought a -more peaceabie difpofition of
mmd with them. Sqme days after the fenate met, whcii
every thing was tranfaaed with great tranquility: Mene-
. nius being defired again to declare his fentiments, ftill

continued to think it neceffary, that plenipotentiaries

Ihould be fent to the malcontents, with full power to erant
them whatever they fhould think confiftent with the good
of the republic. All the fenators who had been confuls
agreed with Menenius, except Appids, who continued to
proteft againft treating with rebels till.they had laid down
their arms ; and prayed Jupiter, and the tutelar gods of
Rome, that he might be deceived in h Js apprchenfions of

I theevil confequences of fuch aftep».

However, the fenate, determined by all means to divert D,t^i«
the prefent evi^ continued in their former rcfolution of AwT rt*
fending commiffioners to treat with the malcontents. Ac- /'*«" '•

, cordinglyten were named, and among them T. Lartius' '''*"«**

Menenius Agrippa, and M. Valerius, all three in great f'"*^**

I efteem, and of whom two had governed the republic, and

commanded her armies in quality of dilators. Thefe
with their colleagues, fe't out for the camp, where thev
were received with all the refpeft due to their ch'arader
The prefence of the deputies would have been fufficient to
tring back the mutmeers to their dilty, had not fome tnr
bulent fpirits taken care to keep up the fire of difcord
Thefe were Sicinnius Bellutus, and another plebeian of
the fame charafter, named Lucius Junius, like the fbun
dcrof the republic; nay, he affefted the furname of
' Brutus, thinking himfelf deftined to deliver the people
from the tyranny of the fenate, as the famous Brutus had'
freed Rome from the oppreffions of the kings. Thefe
two, being appointed by the malcontents to treat with the
deputies from the fenate, effaced, with their artful
fpeeches, the impreffion which the prefence of thedepu-

• Liv. lib. lit cap. j»,

(O, favs, that he commanded what age the law fixed is un.

arinies before he had attamed certain. . Die Caffius limits it

to the age that was required in to twenty-five, which was the

a fenator : the fame is affirmed age required for the quaftoi!

by Plutarch ; and no expreffion fliip, the firft office of any con-

w more frequently made ufe fiderable note. However, we

«f by theam:ient hiftormns m read of many perfons promoted

thatofattai fenatona. But regard had to their years.
CO Cic. pro Lege Manil,

tiei,

4?

Mtntnius
Agrippa,
fy kisfa"
mous apo^
bgue, overm
comes their

^he artful
manage-
ment of
Junius
Brutus^ wi
rftke heads
•ffhefir,
eliiioth

The R[)man Hiftofy:

ties, and their harangues had made on the minds of the

multitude. But Menenius Agrippa, after having affured
them that the fenate had, with unanimous confenty de*
termined to annul all bonds and obligations at prefent
fubGfting, fo foftened the populace by this promife, and
the famous apologue of a confpiracjr of att the mem-
bers of the human body againfl: the ftomach, which he
applied to the people and the fenate, that they all cried
out they were fatisfied, and that he might lead them back
to Rome p.

This fudden motion alarmed the pretended Brutus, who
reprefented to the people, that they ought indeed to be
very thankful for the abolition of their debts ; but that he
could not forbear letting them know, he was very.appre-
henfive about their future fate j and therefore was of opi-
nion, that means fhould be found to fecure the liberties
of the people againft the attempts of the ambitious pa-
tritians. ** What other fccurity can you afk," replied
Menenius, '* befides what our laws, and the conftitutioi^
of the republic already afford ?'* " Give us leave (anfwer-
ed Brutus), to choofe annually out of theTjody of the
plebeians a certain number of magiftrates, who, .with-
out having any other authority in Rome than that of pro-
tecting them, may oppofe or difannul any cdifts or judge-
ments which (hall be burdenfonte to the people. If you
come hither with a fincere intention of peace, you can-
not reje£l fo equitable a propofal." The deputies, fur-
prifed at fuch a demand, told them, that they afked a very
extraordinary indulgence, which abfolutely exceeded the
bounds of their inftruf^ions and powers; but that M.
Valerius, and fome others of the deputies, would make
their report of it to ihe fenate, and return with an an-
fwer.

Accordingly, they repaired with all fpeed to Rome,
where M. Valerius gave his opinion in favour of the peo-
ple ; while Appius, burning with indignation, exclaimed
againft the dreadful confequences which would attend
fach condefcenfion. But his remonftrances were negleft-
ed, and the other fide prevailed, moft of the fenators be-
ing weary of thefe divifions, and defirous to have peace on
any terms ; fo that, with almoft an univerfal confent, a
fenatufconfultum or decree of the fenate was paffed, per-
mitting the creation of thefe new magiftrates, who were
called. tribunes of the people. This decree^ which in-

P Liv« lib. ii* cap. 3«,

eluded

Th Raman H$ary.

eluded aifo the abolition of debts> was calried by tbe de-
puties of thefenate to the camp as a feal of peace. The
people were no^ impatient to return to Rome; but the
leaders of the fedition would not allow them to feparate,
before they had eleded the new magiftrates. The aflem-^.
bly was held in the camp, and the aufpices being taken^
the fuiFrages were gathered by curiae, when JL Junius
Brutus, and C. Sicinnius Bellutus, were cbofen the -firft
tribunes. Thefe immediately named the two Licinii^
Publius and Cams, with Sp* Icilius Ruga, to be their coU
leagues^. Before. they left the camp, a law was paiTed^
whereby the perfons of ihe tribunes were made facred^
To make this law perpetual, all the Romans were obliged
to fwear, for themfelves and their poftcrity, that they
would inviolably obferve it. After thefe regulations, the
people ere£led an altar to Jupiter the Terrible, on the*
top of the hill where they had encamped ; and, having
confecrated the place of their retreat, which, from this
time, was called the Sacred Mount, they followed the
deputies of the fenate, and returned to the city ' (P).

One

firfli

< Dion. Halic. lib. vi. p. 36S.
Liv* iib. iii. cap* 30—33.

(P) The tribunes were at
\ five in number ; but in a
few years ^vt, more were add*
cd. They were always cbofen
by the plebeians, and out of
their body. Their fole func-
tion was to defend the liber-
ties of the plebeians, and to
interpofe in all grievances of-
fered them by their fuperiors.
This interpofing in matters de-
termined by thefenate, or other
maeiCh-ates, was called inter-
ceifio, and was performed by
landing up, and pronouncing
only one word, *' Veto : I for-
bid it." They had their feats
placed at the door of the fe-
nate, and were never admitted
but when the confuls called
them to alk their opinion upon
feme affiiir that concerned the.
interefts of the people. As for
theenfigns of their office, they
Vol. X.

r Dion. Hal. p« 386— 410*

had no toga praetexta, lidors^ .
or curule chair ; but were ha-
bited like private men, and
attended only by one fervant,
called viator. Their power
was confined within the walls
of Rome, or extended at moft
to a mile round the city. They
were not allowed to be abfent
from the city a day, Dio fays
an hour, except in the ferias
Latinas. To (hew their rea«
dinefs to protedl the people,
they were obliged to keep their
doors open night and day.
Their authority was very great ;
for though at firft they pre-
tended only to prevent oppref-
fion, yet afterwards they ufurp-
ed the power of doing almoft
whatever they pleafed, having
the populace to fupport them.
They afiembled the people^
ena^ed- k(W9^ made decrees,
£ «nd

■ 49

Vri of F».

1858.
Ante Chi.

490.
U. C. «5S.

Tribunes of

thpeopk

creatidi

rhefeipti
rgturn to .

Rmt*

so

hunes
cneat4 tW9
ite-w ffi-

rhe Volfci
and Antia-
tts dt)€at-'

^he gallant
hthauiour
of Caius
hlarcius
CorhlMnus,

The Rmm Hijlcny.

One of flicfirft ftcps of the tribunes towards an ixK
creafe of power was» to aik permiflion of the fenate to
choofe two affiftants in the execution of their office. This
hew demand was alfo complied with, and two perfons were
chofen out of the plebeians to be the tribunes affiftants or
agents. Thefe afterwards had the cognizance of a great
many afFairSf which before belonged to the confuls, and
the infpedion of all buildings* both public axui piirate |
from which laft branch of their office they took the name
of sediles, with the epithet of plebeian, to diftinguifh
them from the sediles ciirules^ of whom we (hall ^ak
hereafter.

Concord being thus re-eftabliflied in Rome, troops were
cafily raifed to march againft the Volfeii whom the* con-
sul Cominius^ defeated in a pitched battle^ and took from
them Longula and Polufca. He marched next to befiege
Corioli, the metropolis of the Volfci, which he likewife
reduced, and gained a tiftory over the Antiates the fame
day. But Caius Marcius, a young patrician, had all the
glory of both a£^ions : for the befieged having made a vi-
gorous fally, and driven the Romans back quite to their
intrenchments, Marcius, by his words and example, ral-
lied the fugitives, brought them back to the charge, and,
having obliged the enemy to retire into the city, followed
them To clofe, that he entered with them, and made him-
felf matter of the place. He then hiaftened to join the
conful's army, which was upon the point of engaging
with the Antiates, who were come to affift their allies.
In the engagement which enfued, he behaved with equal
bravery, and was attended with equal fuccefs^ the victory,
which was gained, being entirely owing to his courage
and prudent condufV. Next day the conful, having cauf-^
ed his tribunal to be erefted before his tent, and called
his foldiers together, made an harangue to them, which
was Httie more than a panegyric on the brave Marcius.
He put a crown of gold upon his bead ; affigned him a
tenth part of the fpoil ; gave him a fine horfe, with rich
furniture, in the name of the republic ; allotted him as

inuch money as he could carry away ; and, laftly, allow-

and executed them upon the
faagiilrates themfelves, com-
' ^anding fotnetimes the confuls
to be carried to prifon. In
ihort, they occaiioned greater
ili4urban^j;% in the fla^e_tha&

than thofe which they were
firil created to appeafe ; whence
they are ftyled by fome of the
ancients, " the bane of the
public tranquility,"

cd

The Rfitnan Hjfiofyk

eel him to choofe ' znj ten of the prifonei'd. But of all
thcfc prefects the young hero accepted onljr the hoife, and
demanded but one captive of the ten, an old friend of hia
family, with a defigh to give him his liberty. This ge-
nerous and difinterefted condu£i: filenced even jealoufy it*
felf. All refpe£led a hero whofe fentiments were as
noble as his valour was unrivalled* But the conful, to
add to the glory of the brave warrior, bellowed on him
Xhk fumame ot Coriolanus, transferring thereby from
faimfelf to Marcius all the honour of the conqueft of Co^
rioli •.

The enemies of Rome, terrified by the reduftion of the
VoUci, remained quiet at home ; fo that the conful dit
banded his army, and war was fu(iceeded by works of re-
iigion, public games, and treaties of peace. The ancient
alliance was renewed with the Latins, and a third day
added to the ferise Latinae. In xht mean time Menenius
Agrippa died in great poverty. His relations refolved to
bury him without ceremony j but the people, at the mo^
tion of their new tribunes, agreed to pay a fextans, or
two ounces of brafs, a-head, towards the expence of a
magnificent funeral. The fenate, thinking it would re-
ileS no fmall diOionour upon them to fufFer an illuftrious
patrician to be buried at the expence of the people, allot-
ted k fum out of the public treafury for his funeral, and
committed the care of it t^ the quxftors. Ndverthelefs
the people refufed to receive back their money, ordering
it to be given to the children of the deceafed Menenius ••
This memorable confulfhip ended with a cenfus and luf-
trum, when there appeared to be but an hundred and ten
thoufand men in Rome fit to bear arms.

Under the new adminift ration of T. Geganius, and
P. Minutius, Rome fufiered greatly by a famine ; and this
calamity revived the civil diflenfions. The fenate, in or-
der to disburden the city, fent away great numbers of
-people to plant colonies at Velitrae and Norba, notwith-
ftanding the oppofition of the tribunes. In the mean
time the Antiates, taking advantage of the fiamine with
which Rome was afflided, and of the difcord between the
people and the fenate, made incurfions to the gates of
the city. Coriolanus could not bear this infultf as the
tribunes ftill oppofed any regular levies, he put himfelf
at the head of a band of volunteers, advanced into the

• Dion. Hat. lib. vi. p« 4ti<— 416. Liv. lib. ii. cap. 33. Plut. in
Coriol. t .Dion. Hal, ibid. Liv. ubl iupra.

£ a ^ cncm/f

TAeanchn$

nvith ihi '
Latins rem

firs greatly
by aj amine.

Thegaliant
behaviour
cf Corio*
iatius.

52

The Ronton IT^ory.

diffinfions
Tivived.

enemy's country* defeated, them in feveral engagements^
and returned goaded with a rich booty, conGfting of corn^
cattle, and flaves. At this exploit the patricians tri-
umphed, and the plebeians complained of their tribunest
' for having diverted them from following fo fuccefsful a
leader. On the other hand, the tribunes, whofe credit
fubfifted only by the mifunderftanding they fomented be-
tween the two orders in the commonwealth, endeavour-
ing to excite the populace to a general revolt, openly ac-
cufing the patricians of being the caufe of the fcarcity, '
while their own families were plentifully fi^>plied with
provifions. The fenate, alarmed at the ftorm that threat-
ened them, met daily to deliberate on the means to avert
it. Some of the fenators thought it neceffary to employ
foft words and fair promifes to gain over the moft mutin-
ous. But the opinion of Appius prevailed, which was,
that the tribunes fhould be threatened with the fevcreft
puniChments, as difturbers of the public peace, if they did
not amend their behaviour.

But when the confpls came to declare to the curiae the
refolution of the fenate, the tribunes interrupted them,
and even difputed their right of fpeaking in the co-
the' right of mitia, contending that their province was confined to
fpeaking in the fenate. The conteil growing very warm, and the
moft irafcible individuals in each party being ready to
come to blows, Brutus, whg was now but aedile, defired
leave of the confuls to fpeak to the people, promifing to
quiet the difpute. Geganius and Minutius, pleafed with
the deference paid them, readily confented to let him fay
what he thought fit. -But he, inftead of addreffing him-
felf either to the tribunes, or the people, turned to the
conful Geganius, who had been one of the commiiTioners
fent_to the malcontents on the Sacred Mount, and afked
him, whether he remembered, that one of the articles of
the late reconciliation was, that no patrician fhould in-
terrupt thofe who were appointed to take care of the in-
terefts of the people ? ** i remember it very well,*' re-
plied the conful. " Why then (added Brutus), do you
now come hither to difturb the conference between the
people and their tribunes ?" " Becaufe (faid Geganius),
this aflembly was fummoned by us, and not by you."
The conful added too rafhly, that, if the tribunes had
convened the aflembly, he would not even have come to
hear what they faid. At theiie words Brutus cried out
aloud, ** That is enough j you grant all we afk;. fpeak
to-day as much as you pleafe 5 to-morrow I will tell you

how

ne tri'
hums dif"
puti with
the fenate

theaffembly
ofthepeth-
pli.

The Roman Hjjlory^

how far our power extends, and hoV far yours may be
carried." Next morning, before it was light, the tribunes
and sediles' went to the temple of Vulcan, which ftood
near the comitfum, and there aflembled the people,
complaining of the attempt that had been made the
day before, to impofe filence upon them in the aflembly
of the people, whom it was their duty to defend. They
then propofed to the curias tbe following law, empower-
ing the tribunes to harangue the, people : ** Let no man
prefume to interrupt a tribune, who is fpeaking in the af-
iembly of the Roman people. If any one infringe this
law, he (hall immediately give bail to pay the fine to which
he fhall be condemned : if he refufes to give this fecurity,
he fliall be put to death, and 'his goods con6fcated: the
difficulties which may arife about thefe fecurities ihall be
referred to the people, and determined by them/* This
law was confirmed by the fuffrages of the people, before
the cortfuls could make any oppofition to it. The fenate
hideed refufed to confirm it; but then the 4)eople, in
their turn, would not accept the decrees of the fenate.^
Thus thcfc two tribunals were ever oppofing one another ;
but the people always gained their point by their num-
bers, and the unanimity of their leaders.

The people, fatisfied with having enlarged the power
of their tribunes, bore the famine patiently, and conti-
nued quiet, till plenty of corn arriving from Sicilv, in the
confulate of M. Minutius and A. Sempronius, turnifhed
the tribunes with a new occafion of rekindling fedition.
The fenators who favoured the people, propofed" diftribut-
ing gratis, among the poor, the corn which had been
bought with the public money. But the oppofite faction
mfifted on holding up the price of bread, in order to keep
the populace in dependence and fubje£tion. The famous
Coriolanus, at the head of the fevere party, fpoke loudly
againft (hewing any indulgence to the people ; he even
propofed to abolifh the office of tribune, and take vengeance
of the populace for their paft infolence. The fenators
were divided in their opinions, but the greater part de-
clared' for re-eftaWifliing the government upon its ancient
foundations, and annulling the treaty concluded on the
Sacred Mount. Thefe proceedings enraged the tribunes,
who left the aflembly, in the greateft fury, calling out
aloud on the gods, the avengers of perjury, to witnefs
the folemn oaths by which the fenate had authorifed thc»
eftabliftiment of their dignity. The people, fired by their
factious magiftrates; were ready to break into the fenate,

E 3 and

53

Akku is

making it
penal to in^
terrmpt ihi
tribunis^
whim thijf
are /peak*
ing to the
ptopli.

Fre/Hdif^
puies on
the difvifion
of corn*

£4

Ctriolanus
fummoned
to Appear

$r^umh

ITh tri'
buna At*
tmpt to
SfWthim*

^h conjul
fifinuthts
^ppeafes
]hf tumuit»

Tbe Roman Hijloty.

and there facrifice CoriolanttS to their hatred and re^
veqge ".

The tribunes, however, that their proceedings might
be regular, reftrained their rage 5 and, having aflembled
the curiae, fununoned Coriolanus to appear before them i
but he deipifed a fummons brought him from a tribunal
which he did not acknowlege. In confequcnce of this
conteippt, the tribunes, with a gang of the moft mu-»
tinous amongft the plebeians, waited for him at the door of
the fenate, with an intention to feize him whenhe came out.
Bqt as he had a ftronger guar^i with him than they, com-*
pofed of young fenator^, who had. a great refpei^ for his
perfon, the tribunes and their officers were repulfed.
The uproar, however, was encreafed on the one hand by
the crowds of people, who flocked together from all parts
of the city i and on the other by the patricianS) who ha£*
tened to the aififtance of Coriolanus. But in the mean
time the confuls interpofing, difperfed the crowd, and
partly by entreaties, partly by their authority, prevailed
upon the people to retire. Next day the tribunes, having
aflembled the people early in the morning, inveighed, as
yfual, againft the whole order of the patricians, but ill
particular againft Coriolanus, repeating the words he had
Uttered in the fenate relating to the diftribution of com.
Then they exaggerated the violence he had ufed againft
them the day before ; the ill treatment their officers had
me^ with from him and bis company ; and the great num^^
her of men he had always about him, whom . they called
the tyrant's guards. After they had, with long and bitter
inveftives, rendered Coriolanus odious to the multitude,
they added> that if there was any patrician, who would
undertake his defence, he might mount the tribunal, and
fpeak to the people. Then Minutius, the eldeft conful,
prefenting himfelf, in a long fpcech, cleared the fenate
from the imputation of having occalioned the famine 5
excufed the imprudent warmth of Coriolanus; dcfired
them to remember his virtues as well as his faults, and
untreated them, in the name pf the fenate, to forgive his
indifcretion.

The gentle words of Minutius, joined with promifes of
fudden plenty, foftened and calmed the people. But the
artful tribune Sicinnius effaced all impreffions made on
their minds in favour of Coriolanus. After having thank^
^d the confuU and patrician^ fox their favourable dlfpofi-*

9 pion, Hal. f\^t ibi^. J-iv, Ub. 1}- csip, 34,

t^on^

The Roman IT^ory. ^g

tion^ he exhorted Coriolanus to have recoorfe to the cle-
mency of the people, and to make an apology for his con-
du^ The tribune well knew, that Coriolanus was a
man of too lofty a fpirit to (loop to fupplications 5 and
therefore did not doubt but he would provoke the people * '

afrefh with the haughtine£s of his anfwers. Accordingly, Coriehimu
the young patrician, inftead of appearing as a criminal, provokes
aflumed the air of a judge, and, by an ill-timed exertion 'W^^^^
cf courage, deftroyed the effeft of the conful's fpeech : H^i*;,/^
for he owned what he had laid m the fenate, and refufed of his an-
to fubmit to any tribunal, but that of the iconfuls ; pro- /ov/r/. .
tefting with a loud voice, and a threatening look, that he
would not have vouchfafed to appear in a tumultuous af-
fembly of feditious men, had it not been to reproach them
with their crimes, and put fome check to their boundlefs
defires. Laftly, he declared his hatred to the tribunes,
whom he called the bane of the public happinefs «'.

It is eafy to imagine, that fuch a fpeech muft have
greatly offended the plebeians. Some of them inclined
to afiafBnate him on the fpot: but Sicinnius, thinking it ne-
cefiary to obferve, at Icaft, fome appearance of juftice, put a
ftop to the fury of the enraged multitude* Having confult-
ed apart with his colleague, without fo much as giving him-
fclf the trouble to colledt the voices of the affcmbly, he
pronounced fentence of death upon Coriolanus, and order- CmofaHui
cd him to be thrown headlong from the top of the Tarpeian comiemnei
Rock ; a punifhment infliflcd upon fuch as were enemies ^^^^^^^\
to their country. The aediles inftantly advanced with J, '■/'^
their officers to put the fentence in execution. But the /^ rt/tvtd.
fenate, and all the patricians in the aifembly, hafteningto by tMpt^
his ai&ilance, placed him in the midft of them, deter- tridms.
mined to oppofe force with force. And now the people,
either thinking their tribunes had carried their animofity
too far, or awed by the prefcnce of the confuls, refufed
to give afiiftance to their aediles. Sicinnius therefore, by
the advice of Brutus, refolved to profecute Coriolanus in
a legal way, and to convene the people by tribes for his
trial. Of this refolution he gave Coriolanus notice in
thefe words : ** We cijte thee, Coriolanus j to appear he*-
fore the people in feven-and-twenty days.*' He then addl-
ed, *^ As for the diftribution of corn, if the fenate does
•not take due care of that matter, the tribunes will giTe
direAions ^bout it," So faying, he adjourned the af*
<embly, . .

w Liv,. lib, ii. cap. 3^. Dion. Hal. lib, %v% p. 4is**47i.

£ 4 la

^$ The Roman H^ory.

neftnau In tbe mean time the fenate, in order to foothe the
gndeavour people, fixed the price of corn at the loweft rate it ever
to aitay thg ^^d been at, even before the fedition. The confuls like-
t^U wife, fearing left the profccutioH of Coriolanus fliould

^^ ' deter others From fpeaking their mind freely ip the fenate^
did all that lay in their power to appeafe the tribunes*
Minutius reprefented to them, that, by an immemorial
cuftom, all proceedings in capital cafes were to begin ia
the fenate ; and that it belonged to the fenators to declare
whether it was proper to refer them to the people : he
added, that the kings themfelves had paid this deference
- to fo auguft a body; and that he hoped the tribunes would
not violate the ancient rules of the government, but apply
to the fenate, if they had any crimes to lay to the charge
of Coriolanus. He concluded by afTuring them, that,
according to the nature of the crime, and the folidity of
the proofs, the fenate would refer the whole matter to
the judgement of the people. Sicinnius exclaimed againfl:
this propofal, pretending, that the afiair naturjilly devolv-
ed upon the people, as the fupreme court of judicature.
But the other tribunes, plainly perceiving that they (hould
make themfelves odious even to the plebeians, if they fo
manifeftly deviated from the ufual forms of juftice, agreed
to let the fenate decide, as ufual, whether the people
Xw con- fhould take cognizance of the matter depending. How* '
11b°!i'^\ *^^'^* ^^^y infiftcd upon two conditions; ift. That the
^etn- ^ tribunes might be heard in the fenate, with relation to
bt^neit ^^ crimes which they pretended they had to lay to the

^ charge of the perfon accufed. 2dly. That the fenators,
after having been fworn, (hould deliver their opinions re*
gularly, and the confuls pronounce fentencc according to
the plurality of voices. The preliminaries being fettled,
^he^rihune the tribunes were introduced into the fenate. Decius,
. Djciujy the youngeft of them, a man of great eloquence, under.-
A^^i^ '^ took to Ihew, that it belonged to the people to hear and
I f/iffa $, jgjermine the prefent caufe. fie cited a law of Poplico^
la, by which the plebeians, when ill-treated by the pa^
tricians, were allowed to bring their complaints before the
affembly of the people x he urged, that Coriolanus, hav-
ing been guilty of a notorious infult on the authority of
the people, and the, dignity of their tiibunes, the people
were therefore his legal judges : he exaggerated the hei-
noufnefsof Coriolanus's offence, and adviied the fenate to
withdraw their proteftion from fo proud and infolent a
. patrician ». ^ ^

« PiQO. H^l. P. 4^6, 447. Plat, in CprioL

When

The Roman Hijiory. gy.

When the tribune had ended his fpeech, the confuls^ il^^/B/
afked the opinion of the aflembly, beginning with the Claudius
oldeft and moft venerable fenators. Appius -Claudius, ^ppoff'^^i
when it came to his turn "to fpeak, enumerated, with* ^^yihstrU
great warmth, all the encroachments of the plebeians, bumsk
♦* At firft, (faid he), they pleaded poverty, and only de-
manded an abolition of debts. In the beginning of their
feditious feparation, they feemed to be content with im-
punity, arid leave to return home. After they had ob-
tained this indulgence, they thought fit to demand a col-
lege of tribunes to proteft them againft our decrees. They
infifted that the authority of thefe officers fliould be fa-
cred, and their perfons inviolable. Then, by the help of
thefe new magiftrates, they made. laws without our pri-
vity, defpifed the authority of the fenate and confuls, and
difannuUed our decrees. And now, by an unheard-of
ufurpacion, they fummon' a moft illuftrious patrician to
appear at their tribunal, where he is to be tried as a crt^
minal, only for delivering his opinion freely." After this •
remonftrance, he exclaimed againft fuiFering Coriolanus
to be tried by the people, or making any conceffions to
them ; and exhorted the fenators not to fear a civil war,
telling them, that both gods and men would join in their
defence. , .

But the popular Valerius was of a contrary opinion. Valerius
He exaggerated the horrible confequences of a civil war, /peaks in
and endeavoured to (hew, that their paying fome deference ^^J^^tf ^f
to the people,^ and their tribunes! was the only expedient ' 'P'^P**
to quiet their fury both againft their country and the of*-
fender. His opinion prevailed, and it was carried by a Tkefenau
majority, that Coriolanus fhodld be tried by the people.' >o«A«'
When the decree was ready to be drawn up, Coriolanus, '^^' ^^
finding the fenate had deferted him, de fired to know ^^"^
what crime in particular he was to be accufed of. The tri- tried by\hi
bunes anfwered, that they would confine their whole ac- tlupeopU.
cufation to the fingle crime of ufurping tyrannical power.
** Upon that condition (replied Coriolanus;, I have nothing
to objeft to the decree of the fenate ; let it be put in writing ; ^
I will appear before the people, and anfwer that frivoloias *
charge." Thus, with the confent of all parties, the de-
cree was drawn up, and put into the hands of the tribunes,
who immediately affembled the people, read It to them,
and exhorted all the citizens of the republic, as well thofc
who dwelt in the country as the inhabitants of Rome, to
be in the forum on the day appointed for the decifion of
this affair. The decree of the fenate allowed the accufed

fcvcn^

futis ab9ut
iht form of

ci Tie Roman Hiftoty.

fcvcn-and- twenty davs to prepare his defence; during
\(rhich time the triounes frequently conferred among
themfelves, and with the leading men among the pie*
beianSy as if the prefervation of the republic bad depended
on the deftru£tion of Coriolanus ^.

When the appointed day arrived^ new difputes arofc re-
lating to the form of the comitia, by which the accufed
was to be tried. The tribunes had feparated the people by
tribes before the fenator's came ; whereas, from the reign
of Servius Tullius, the voices had always been colleded
by centuries. The confuls were for adhering to the an-
cient cuftom, being convinced that they could fave Co*
riolanus, if the voices were reckoned by centuries, of
which the patricians themfelves, and the richeil citizens^
made, the majority, fiut the artful tribunes, alleging .
that, in an affair relating to the rights of the people^
every citizen's vote Ihould have its due weight, would
not by any means confent to let the voices be coUeAed
otherwife than by tribes. The people being afiembled,
Mlhutius, the conlul, fpoke firft, and endeavoured to per-
fuade the people to be fatisfied with Coriolanus's fubmif-
fion in being brought to a trial before them« and not fuC*
fer it to be laid, that fo illuilrious a citizen underwent th6
forms of juftice like a criminal. ** But if you perfift,
((aid he), and are determined to vote, remember that the
whole fenate is come hither to fue for his pardon. Will
you refufe it to three hundred of the mod venerable m^o
in the republic ? No ; the moft bitter enemy can never
jefufe fuch powerful interceflbrs/' Sicinnius anfwered,
with a haughty air, ** That he was not fo cowardly as to
betray the interefts of the -people j and that the aifembly
fliould not be difmifled till the affair was determined by
a majority of voices.'* " Well then, (replied Minutius)*
fince you obftinately infift, that Coriolanus fhall be tried
by this aflembly, notwithftanding our entreaties, I de-
mand that, purfuant to your agreement with the fenate,
you confine your accufation to the fmgle article oJF tyranny,
and bring proofs and witneffes of this crime." Sicinnius
(then began the accufation, and, reviewing the whole life
of Coriolanus, reprefented him ^s aiming, in every part
of it, at regal power *.
Hii nohU When the tribune had done fpeaking, Coriolanus pre*

dtjince. fented bimfelf in the affembly, and anfwcred the calum?
. ^ nies thrown upon his condu£i by a bare recital of his fer*

y Dion. Hal. ibid. Plutarch, in CorioUn. Liv, lib. ii, cap. 34.
s Dion. UaL lib. vi. p. 470.

vices*

is tried in
an affemhly
oftkepeopli
iy tribts\

The Romc^ Hifiorp gt^

vices. He firft enumerated the many canipiigns he had *
made in the fervice of the republic; then he expofed to
the view of the people many crotirns with which he had
been rewarded by the Roman generals ; and every time
he fliewed the people any of thofe proofs of his valour^ hc
called upon the commanders, who had honoured him
with them, to teftify the truth of what he faid. He likCf*
wife named the many citizens he had faved in battle^
and defired them to ftand up aiid witnefs what he adr
vanced. Thefe men immediately appeared in the midft
of the aflembly, and, ftretching out their hands asi fup-
pliants, conjured the aflembly not to deftroy a man to
whom they were indebted for their lives : they offered to
take the p]|ce of the accufed, and to fecure his life at the
expence of their own. As thefe were moftly plebeians^
their fighs, and preffing folicitations, made fuch an im-
prefHon on the multitude, that they could not refrain
from tears. Then Coriolahus/ teaHng away his robe,
(hewed his breaft all covered with the fears of the manjp
wounds he had received ; and, at the fame time, with ai^
air of confidence mixed with modefty, ** It was to fave
thefe worthy men (faid he), that I have received the
wounds you fee: let the tribunes fhew, if they can, bow
fuch adions are confiflent with the treacherous defignt >
they lay to my charge. Is it eafy to believe, that a man
who has done nothing to gain the favour of the people
but hazard his life for them, could have a defign of ufurp-
ing the throne ?'* .

Hehadfcaroe done fpeaking, when the moft worthy ,^^'''«^
men among the plebeians cried out, that fo good a citizen f^/^i ,
ought to be acquitted ; and that a man of nis birth and dareinkis
merit ought not to have been brought to trial upon fuch Javour.
flight prefumptions. Even the moft mutinous thought^
that the accufers had not exhibited fufEcient proofs of the
crime laid to his charge* So that the afiembly was juft
ready to break up, much to the reputation of Coriolanus,
when the tribune Decius, alarmed at this change, brought
in a new charge againft him, importing, that, contrary ^^^^
to the Roman laws, he had difpofed of the fpoils taken jj^^^
from the Antiates in his late expedition, during the f^- agawfi
mine, among his foldiers, inftead of delivering them to Aim.
the quaeftor. "This (faid Decius) is a plain proof of his
evil defighs ; with the public money he fecured to himfelf
creatures and guards, and fupporters of his intended
ufurpatioi)/ h^t him niake if appear^ th^t be had power

to

6o The Roman Hiftory.

to difpofe of the booty without violating the laws. Let
him anfwer dire£ily to this one article, without dazzling
us with the fplendid Ihew of his crowns and fears, or
ufing any other arts to amufe the afiembly." Neither Co-
riolanus nor his friends were prepared for this accufation ;
fo that the tribunes, taking advantage of their furprize,
exaggerated this breach of the law. Sicinnius infolently
afked him, whether he was king of Rome ; and by what
authority he had difpofed of what belonged to the repub-
lic and the Roman people. All Coriolanus could fay,
was, that thofe of the people who had attended him in
that ejcpedition, had received the whole benefit of that
pillage. But the tribunes, urging he had, by that dif-
tribution, violated a law which was' as ancient as Rome
itfelf, rekindled the former animofity of the people againi):
him, efpecially of thofe who had not been iharers ia
the booty.

Of this animofity they laid hold, as the mod favourable
opportunity to colleft the fufFragesi fo that Q>riolanus
might be condemned to perpetual banifliment. Of the
Cortotanus twcnty-onc tribes but nine voted for him, and the reft
isconcUmn- againft him. The joy of the people upon this great event,
nilhm% ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ imagined : they never expreffed more, even
^^ \ after the greateft vi&ories ; and, indeed, not without
yeafon ; for, by the advantage they had gained over the
fqjiate and the nobility, the form of government was alv
folutely changed : the plebeians, who had been hitherto
dependent on the patricians, were become their judges^
poiTeffed of a right to call before their tribunal the^reateft
men in the commonwealth, and to decide their fate. On
this occafion it was eafy to diftitiguifli the patricians from
the plebeians by the forrowor joy which appeared in their
countenances. Coriolanus was the only perfon among
the former who feemed unconcerned. He neither faid
nor did any thing unworthy of his ufual magnanimity.
Hisfirm* He repaired immediately to. his own houfe, where he
titfs and found his mother Veturia, and Volumnia, his wife,
tonjismcy. \^ tears. He exhorted them to behave with conftancy
and fortitude under the various events of hfe ; and, hav-
ing recommended to them the care of his children, who
. were yet but infants, he took his leave, not fuffering any
body to attend him in his exile, except three or four of
his clients. A great number of the fenators, and other pa^f
tricians, attended him to the gate of the city ; but, being
juftiy p3ended at the weaknefs of their cbmiud;, he faid

not

Tht Roman Hiftory. 6i

not one word to them by the way, and parted from thcra
with the fame reproachful filence *.

The illuftrious exile fpent the firft days of his bani(h- ^
m^ntata country*feat of his own, in the neighbourhood
of Rome* There, being Jeft wholly to himfelf, he could
not refift the ftrong motions of his refentment, but re- Hi rtfolves
folved to revenge the affront he had fuftained. Having ^^ revenge,
taken this refolution, he call his eyes upon the feveral '^^ ^ffn^nu
nations that were neighbours and enemies to Rome ; and
finding none more exafperated againft the Romans, or in
a better condition to undertake a war, than the Volfci,
he determined to fcek a retreat among.them, not doubting
but he fhould prevail upon them to efpoufe his quarrel,
and join with him in pu^fuing their common revenge.
The Volfci at that time formed a republic, confifting of
feveral fmall cantons united by a league, and governed by
an aflembly of deputies from each. One Attius Tullus,
or,, as Plutarch calls him, Tullus Amphidius, a man of
great experience in war, who had a confiderable intereft
throughout the yhole nation, was then their general. In
the late conflifts between the Romans and the Volfci, he
had been often encountered, and aiways conquered, by
Coriolanus.

However, the Roman thought he could difclofe his re-
fentments, and entruft his life, with none more fafely
than with a brave man, who perhaps might entertain as

ijreat an efteem for him as he had for Attius. He there-
ore came to a refolution to apply himfelf diredlly to
this general. Accordingly he left his retreat in difgulfe,
and, in the evening, entered Antium, one of the chief fj^ ritins
cities of the Volfci, where Tullus refided. He went to to Antium,
his houfe with his face covered, a/id fat down by the the chief
hearth of the domeftic gods, a place facred in all the "(^ «/'^'
houfes of the ancient Pagans. Attius was at fupper in *^/"*
an inner apartment, when news were brought him, that
a ftranger, of a very majeftic air, had, without fpeaking
to any perfon, come into his houfe, and placed himfelf by
the hearth of his Lares. Attius immediately alked him
who he was, and what he required. Coriolanus then
uncovered his face ; but Attius not recolle£Ung his fea-
tures, the Roman told him his name, acquainted him
with his cafe, and offered to affift the Volfci againft Rome
with his counfels, and all his experience in war. Attius
immediately gave him his hand, received him with great

* Dion. Hat Jib. vl p. 47x1 Liv. lib. ii. cap. 35. Plut. in Coriol.

kindnefsj

6z The Roman Hifioty.

LktMdfy kmdnefs, and aiTuredhim of the friendfhip o( tbeVoIfcu
neikHdly He then led him into his apartment, where they fpent
^//fkf, ^r- fQj^g jjjp ijj private confere^nces about the means rf pu-
mir^i9fth$ j^jQjj^g ftome for the mifchiefs (he had done the Volfci,
' and the hard ufage Coriolanus had received*

But the great point was, how to bring the whole na* .
tioa to a rupture with Rome. The Volfci had fuffercd
greatly in the laft war, and had, by yielding fome of their
towns, and part of their territory, obtained of the republic
a truce for two years/ As this truce was not yet expired,
TuUus, though he had great intereft in the diets of the
cantons of his country, could not promife that he fhould
be able to perfuade the whole nation to take up arms«
However, the two generals, at laft, found means to com-
pafs what they defired. The Romans were making great

Preparations for public fports, which drew crouds of
rangers from all parts. The Volfci efpecially went
thither in great numbers ; a circumftance which gave no
fmall uncaiincfs to the confuls, whofe apprehenfions were
Comteris increafed by an artifice which the two generals had con*
wukkim a certed together. This was to fuborn one of the Volfci to
fratagtm gQ ^.o the confuls, and pretend to make a difcovery of a
7hVdfd ^^'^S" ^^^ countrymen had to fet fire to Rome, while the
to nnew Romans were engroffed by the games and public fports in
the war the circus ^. The new confuls, C. Julius and Pinarius
with K4me. Rufus, Who had been juft chofen in the room of Q. Sul-
pitius and Sp. Lartius, immediately madethe report of the
pretendedplot to thefenate J and the fenate caufed, the
fame day, a decree to be publiflied throughout the city,
requiring all the Volfci to leave it before fun-fet, on pain
of death. The conjiris being ordered to fee this decree
put in execution, caufed all the gates of the city to be
fliut, except the gate Capena, through which all the
Volfci were driven out with fhame and ignominy. TuUus
met them, as by chance ; and hearing how they had been
• treated, exaggerated the affront they had received. *^ We
alone (faid he), of all the different nations now iii Rome,
are not thought worthy to fee the games. We alone, like
the profaneft wretches and outlaws, are driven from a
public feftival. Go, and tell in all your cities and villages,
the diftinguilhing mark the Romans have put upon us.**

He found no difficulty in exafperating minds already
prejudiced •, ai general diet was tumultuoufly aflembled,
when all the deputies gave their opinion, that they were

bXiv. lib. )i. cap. ^6, 37. Dion. Hal. p. 474. Plut. in Coriol..

«t

„ The Roman Hijfory^ 6j

at liberty to begin the war without waiting till the truce
was expired. When TuUus, who conduSied the afFair, Yr, of Fl.
faw his countrymen ready to carry fire and fword into the >S6ft.
territory of Rome, he advifed them, before they broke ^"** ^*****
up, to fend for Coriolanus into their aflcmbly 5 telling ^ ^'^^
them, that exile's enmity to Rome was greater than their's j *
and that he was capable of doing more hurt to the Ro- TAi FolfH
mans than ever they had received at their hands. Corio- reJ6l<u€
lanus being introduced into the aflcmbly, related his mif- *^*» * .
fortunes; and made a merit of choofing a retreat among ^^^ *"^*
the V'olfci rather than among the Latins, Hetrurians, or
Sabines ; he perfuaded them to demand "^11 the cities the
Romans had tak^n from them^ and laftly, offered to afTift .
their generals with his counfels and fword, without afpir-
ing to any command in their armies* His fpeech was re-
ceived with great applaufe \ and the ambafladors were
difpatched to Rome to demand the reftoration of the lands
and cities which had been;taken in the late war. But the
only anfwer they brought back was this : that the Romans
would not reftore what they had conquered 5 and that, if
the Volfci were the firft to take arms, the Romans would
be the laft to lay them down S

In confequence of this anfwer, the Volfci unanimoufly Coriolamtf
appointed Tullus and Coriolanus to command their ^ppo'^f*^
troops; and to attach the latter more ftridly to them^ ^^^^' ,
conferred on him the dignity of fenator. The two gene* co$^wtaim
rals immediately raifed a numerous army, which they di* with 7W-
vided into two bodies : Tullus with one ftaid in the coun- '<^«
try to cover it on the (ide of Latium, while Coriolanus
with the other, confifting of the flower of the Volfcian
troops, entered the territory of Rome before the confuls
had taken any mealures to oppofe him, and made himfelf
mafter of Circaeum, Corbio, Vitellium, and Trebia. To- Takes
leria, Bola, Labicum, and Pedum, all in Latium, or on many cities
the confines of that country, were taken fword in hand, •^''" ^^^
and the inhabitants given up to the fury of an enemy ^^^^^'^
vidorious and enraged* As this irruption was not ex-
pe£ied, Coriolanus found many Roman citizens difperfed
about the country ; and thefe he made flaves. He burnt layswa/fi
their farms, carried away the cattle, deftroyed all the in- '^«> terri^
ftruments of hufbandry, and, in (hort, carried fire and ^^C^*
iword into all parts. However, in that general devafta-
tion, either from regard to bis old friends, or to keep up
a reciprocal animofity between the two parties, he fpared

c Liv. Ub| ii. cap. 39* Dion. Hal. p. 475.

the

64 3^^^ Roman Hiftofy.

the houfes and lands of the patricians^ This condd^l
had the defired tWtOi. The plebeians complained of the
patricians* as if they had brought fo formidable an enemy
upon them ; and the patricians apbraided the people with
having forced fo great a captain to throw himfelf into the
arms of the enemy. A», mutual diftruft, fufpicion, and
hatred, reigned in both parties, they were not fo eager to
repulfe the Volfci as to decry and ruin each other ; fo that
Coriolanus, finding no army in the field to oppofe his de-
figns, carried on his conquefts, took Lavintum, and at
Encamps length came and encamped at the Fofla Cluilia^ within
mtar Rome, five miles of Rome *".

' The city was then filled with conltemation* The peo-
ne people pic, terrified at the approach of fo formidable an enemyi
^'tt'^k' ^^^^"^^ *"^^ ^^^ forum, and there, with loud cries, de-
&omia''^ mand<;d peace, and the abolition of the decree by which
mijbment. Coriolanus had been banifhed. But the fenate, who had
formerly protected the exile, now refufed to comply with
the demands of the people, either to clear themfelves
from the fufpicion of maintaining a correfpondence with
Coriolanus, or perhaps out of that fpirit of patriotifm
which rendered the Romans averfe from peace, when
they were attended with bad fuccefs in war. However
that be, the Roman general no fooner underflood the op-
pofition the fenate made to his return, than he advanced to
Rome, and in veiled the plaoe, as if he defigned to befiege
it. Coriolanus continuing there that evening, and a good
part of the next day, without making any motion, the
^lomans imagined he only waited for an opportunity of
reconciling himfdf with his country. The fenate there-
fore, in the following confuiihip of Sp. Nautius and Sex.
Thefenmte Furius, refolved to fend a deputation to him, confiding
feuii M de- ^£ f^yg fenators, who had been his moft zealous friends.
^l^mT^ ^^ Thefe were M Minutius, Pofthumius Cominius, Sp. Lar-
tius, P. Pinarius, and Q^ Sulpitius, who iiad all been
confuls. When Coriolanus underftood that the deputies
were coming, he pleafed himfelf with- the thought of
ffflov he humbling thofe proud republicans. He ordered them to
^V^*?''^ be conduced through two ranks of foldiers (landing to
\ies, ^^^' their arms, and gave them audience fitting, and fur-
rounded by the moft confiderable men amongft the Volfci.
Minutius, who had been his chief advocate, reminded
him of the regard the patricians had always (hewn for his
iatereft \ and endeavoured to excufe^ in fome meafuriCy

^ Dion. Hal. p. 477. Liv. lib. ii. cap. 3 j.

the

The koman Hiftory. 65

the people, of whom nine tribes had voted for his being
acquitted. He expoftulated with him for carrying his re-
fentment to fuch an excefs, expatiated on the inftability
of fortune^ and, laftly, invited him, to throw himfelf into
the arms of his native city, which ftretched them out, like
a tender mother, to receive him into her bofom. Corio-
lanus anfwered, with a haughty air, that, as general of Hisanfwit
the Volfci, he muft advife them to apply to the nation he.^^'*'^'-
ferved, and, in a fuppliant manner, fue to them for peace« ^*''''*
which he engaged to procure for them, upon condition
that Rome reilored to the Volfci the country (lie had
taken from them, granted them the fame rights of citizen-
fliip which (he had granted to the Latins, and recalled
the Roman colonies from thofe towns of which flie had
unjuftly taken pofleflion. As to the liberty offered him of
going back to Rome, he faid it was not worth his accept*-
ance. ** Is a bare re-eftabli(hment In Rome (faid he), a
fufficient fatisfaftion for the affronts I have received? Can
there be any fafety for, me, while a Sicinnius or a Decius
is able to arm the populace againft my life? No: Rome is
an unnatural mother, who has caft off a fon that was ufe-
ful to her, and zealous for her glory. She fiiall foon
know, by the eflFefts of my refentment, whofe caufe it is
that the gods efpoufe.** Having thus fpoken his fenti-
ments with refpeft to the inierefts of the Volfci, and his
own injuries, he afTumed a more gentle air towards the
deputies ; affured them, that ^ remembered, with plea-
fure, his obligations to them ; returned them thanks for
the generous proteftion they granted to his wife and chil-
dren ; and told them, that, to Ihew his gratitude, he
would even allow the Romans a truce for thirty days,
with refpeft to the proper-territory of Rome 5 but that,
after the expiration of that time, he ihould expe£l a deci-
five anfwer*.

Coriolanus employed the thirty days in making new Mahef
conquefts in Latium, and then returned and encamped »^w c^n^
before Rome with all his forces. The fenate had fpent <^ffiy*
that interval in deliberations ; and the refult of their de- J^^^l
bates may convey a true idea of the temper of thofe turns be-
haughty republicans. They refolved never to receive law /^r/ RwUm
from their enemy, nor treat of peace with him, till he
had laid down his arms, and retired from the territory of
Rome, and from thofe of her allies. Their pride did not
abate, notwithflanding the prefent calamity. They chofe

« Dion. Hal. lib. vii. p» 47S. Liv. lib, ii. cap, 39. PJut. in Coriol.

VoL.X, F tw

^6

ftUalku,

J third dt'^
putation.

^he Roman
matrons i
rtfolve to
intercede
with him.

The Roman Hijiory.

ten new deputies to carry this meflage to CorioIana$, who
returned them this fliort anfwer, that the Romans had
no alternative but compliance with the articlesj or war;
and that he allowed them three days more to come to a
final determination. He even re.fufed to hear their reply,
threatening to treat them as fpies, if they did not quit his
camp immediately. The report of the deputies threw the
city into the utmoft confternation. AU thsft could be
done in this univerfal dejeftion, was to apjjoint every one
his poft, either on the ramparts, the Capitol, or in the
towers. The tribunes were not now fo much as heard of;
the confuls, in the utmoft perplexity, affembled the fe-
nate ; expedient upon expedient was propofed ; and, at
laft, they agreed to fend a new deputation to the enemy's
camp, confifting of all the minifters of the gods, with
which they thought Coriolanus could not but be affi;6led.
Accordingly, all the priefts, augurs, facrificers, and guar-
dians of the facred things, were ordered to march out of
the city in their habits of ceremony ; and to conjure Co-
riolanus, by the refpeft he owed to the gods, to grant
peace to his country. But this deputation was as fruitlefs
as the former. Coriolanus fent them back to the city,
with orders to acquaint the fenate, that the attack would
immediately begin, if they did not fubmit to the condi-
tions which he had propofed in the name of the Volfcian
nation '.

Upon the return of the priefts, the Romans looked
upon the republic as loft ; the men ran in diforder to the
walls, and the women in defpair to the temples, efpe-
cially to that of Jupiter in the Capitol, where, with tears
in their eyes, they implored of the tutelar gods of Rome
the prefervation of their country, then on the brink of ,
ruin. Such was the face of affairs in the city, when a
Roman . matron, named Valeria, fifter of the famous Va-
lerius Poplicola, as if (he h^d been moved by infpiration,
turned to the other matrons, who were come in crowds
to the terpple of Jupiter, and fuggc^ed to them a refolu-
tion which faved Rome. '^ Let us not fufFer ourfelves,
faid flie to them, to fink under our prefent aftii£tions«
What men could not do, women may perhaps accompliih.
*We may perhaps foften the heart of a conqueror, hi-
therto inflexible. .Let us go in this mournful drefs to the
houfe of Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and per-
faade her to accompany us to, the camp of her fon; Co-

^ Dion. Liv. ibid.

riolantts

^ fhe Roman Jtitflory^ fSj

Holanus will ncrer beablc to refift the tears of his mo-
ihery his wife, and his children, when attended with aU
the women of diftin£lion in Rome.*' This propojTal being
approved of by all who were prefent, they went irame^
diately to the .houfe of Veturia, whom they found with
Volumnia, her daughter-in-laW| deploring their owrt naif*
fortunes and thofe of Rome. Veturia, furprifed to fee
fo many women of diftinftion crowd to her, aiked what
had brought them to a houfe overwhelmed with forrow ?
" You, replied Valeria, are the only refuge we have left
in our misfortunes. We come to intreat you to prefervii
our eftates, our honour, and our liberty, from theVolfci.
Repair then with us to the camp of Coriolanus, accom^
paoied by Volumnia, and thefe tender children, who may
foften the heart of their beloved father. Your prefenc^
will perfuade him to prefer the prefervation of his defti-
tute family to the gratification of his refentment, and the
honours he may expedt from the Volfci. Nothing can be
more glorious for you, Veturia, than to recover your fon,
deliver your country, and fave the lives of your fellow-
citizens. Make no delay, fince the danger is great, and
requires a fpeedy remedy.? Veturia, burfting into tears,
replied, •* Alas ! my interefl: in Coriolanus is but a poot
refuge. What impreffions can women make on a war-*
rior fpirited by revenge ? I am not wanting in affection
to my country ; but what .am I now in my fqn's eyes
more thaif other Roman women, who (hare the averfion
he has for Rome ? This he fufEciently fhewed at his de«-
parture into banifhment. Coriolanus, faid he to us, is
now loft to you for ever. I have no longer either mo-
ther, wife, or children. I renounce all, even my domef-
tic gods. Can we then hope to foften fo hard a Heart f
What fhall we perfuade him to do ? To love a country
which has treated him fo injurioufly ? To betray a nation
which has .received him in its bofom ? Shall we defire
him to fhew compailion for a people who had none for
him ? Let me fpend my days, Valeria, in grief and for- Pre'Valt
row, and do Hot force me to fuiFer the mortification of a ^^^^ ^"
refufal, which will be equally diflionourable to Coriolanus J^t///a ^'
and his mother." But Valeria renewing her entreaties, mah a
and all the Roman matrons embracing the knees of Veturia^ fourth at*
and conjuring her not to refufe her country this hft af- tmpiupvt
fiftance, Veturia, at length overcome, promifed to comply flg„
with their requeft, if the fenate agreed to the experiment*
Valeria immediately gave advice of this defign to the
coiifuls, who propof(pd it in the feaate^ where, after long

Y 2 debates, ^

68

*rhe finate
approve
what tfu
matrons
had prO'
ffid.

Thi inter-
vtenv he-
tnveen Co-
riolanus
and his
mother.

* Her af*

JtSing

fpeechn

The Roman Hlftory.

debates, it was approved of by the fathers. Then Vetu-
ria« and the moll illuilrious of the Roman matrons, in
chariots^ which the confuls had ordered to be got ready
for them, repaired to the enemy's camp. Coriolanus be-
ing informed, that his mother, his wife, and a great
number of other matrons, were coming to his quarters,
determined to receive them with the fame refpefb that he
had paid to. the minifters of religion, but to grant them
nothing \ for he was not ignorant of the views the Ro-
mans had in fo unheard-of a deputation. But, notwith-
ftanding his refolution, he no fooner faw his mother and
wife at the head of this troop of women, than he began
to relent. He walked out of his tent 5 and ordering his
VxGton to lower their fafccs before perfons fo dear to him,
ran haftily to embrace them. When they had given fome
time to the firft emotions of nature, Veturia began to en-
ter upon the fubjeft for which fhe came ; and Coriolanus,
that be might not give any umbrage to the Volfci, called
the chief officers of his army to be witneiTes of what
pafTed in this interview. Veturia told him, that the Ro-
man matrons who attended her, had omitted nothing,
during his abfence, that could comfort her and his wife
Volumnia in their affli£lion ; that they were come to beg
peace of him once more, and to conjure him, by all that
was dear to him, to turn his arms againft other enemies.
Coriolanus replied, that he could not think of betraying
the interefts of a nation which had tru/led him with the
command of their army, and honoured him with a place
in their fenate ; that he had found more honours at An-
tium than he had loft at Rome \ and that nothing would
be wanting to his happinels, if (he and Volumnia would
'leave the ungrateful city, and enjoy among the Volfci the
honours which they would pay to the mother and wife
of their general.

The Volfcian officers fcemed much pleafed with this
anfwer ; but Veturia, avoiding any comparifon between
Rome and Antium, which would have offisnded them,
declared, that (he would never require any thing of him
that might be a blemiih upon his honour ; but that, with-
out being wanting in what he owed to the Volfci, he
' might mediate a peace equally advantageous to both na-
tions. Then raiiing her voice, Ihe added : *• And can
you, my fon, rejeft a propofal fo equitable? Can you.
prefer the intereft of a cruel and obftinatc revenge to the
tears and entreaties of your mother ? Confider, that your
anfwer is to decide the fate of my glory, and alfo of my

life.

The Roman Hiftery.

life. A Roman woman knows how to die, when her
honour calls upon her. If I cannot move you, know I
have refolve^ to die in your jirefence. You fhall not
march to Rome, without treading under your feet the
body of her to whom you owe your being."

Veturia, perceiving her fpeech made a deep impreffion
on his mind, continued her difcourfe, conjuring him, by
the great Jupiter, who prefided in the Capitol, and by:
the manes of his father and anceftors, to withdraw his
troops from Rome, and allow the Romans, for her
fake, a truce for a year, that, in this interval, meafures
might be taken to procure a folid and lading peace.
** Grant this, my fon, faid flie; and if my tears and
prayers are not able to move you, behold your mother at
your feet, imploring of you the prefervation of her coun-
try.** With thefe words, ihe embraced his knees 5 his
wife and children followed her example ^ and all the Ro^
man matrons begged for mercy with tears and lamenta-
tions. Coriolanus, feeing his mother at his feet, could
hold out no longer ; but, amidft a ftruggle of different
paflions, exclaimed, ** Ah ! mother, you difarm me ;"
and tenderly prcflinghet hand in lifting hc;r up, he added,
in a low voice, ** Rome is faved, but your fon is Ipft ;"
forcfeeing, that the Volfci would never forgive him the
regard he was going to pay to her entreaties. He then
retired into his tent with his mother, wife, and children ;
and there conferred with the two perfons that were moft
dear to him, on the meafures he fliould take with refpe£l
to the Volfci and to the Rorilans.

The articles agreed on were thefe: ift. That Coriola-
nus ihould decamp next day, without committing any
hoftilities in the Roman territory, 2dly, That he mould
ufe his utmoft endeavours to perfuade the chiefs of the
Volfci to conclude a peace with Rome upon reafonable
terms. 3dly, That if the Volfci would not hearken to an
accommodation, he ihould then lay down the command
of their army ; a ftep which would piobably bring them
to a better temper. Veturia, after a conference fo bene-
ficial to her country, taking leave of her fon, returned in
the evening, with the other Roman ladies, to Rome,
where they were received amidft the acclamations of the
whole city. The fenate defired them to afk what reward
they plcafed for fo important a fervice ; but Veturia, after
having confulted with the others, replied, that they alked
nothing but leave to build a temple, at their own expence,
to the ** Fortune of Women." The fenate, applaucjing
their difintercftedncfs, ordered both the temple and the

F 3 . ftatuc

69

Hi begim
t9 rtknU

His mother
prevails •
upon him
to raife the
fiegeof
Rome.

The artim
cles he
agrees te*

70

Hi is a/'
JaJJinaUd
b^thi

Bowurs
paid hm
ty the RO'

froiff*

The Roman Hijlory.

(latuc to be ercftcd at the cxpcncc of the public, in the
very place where Veturia had overcome the obftinacy of
her fon. Valeria, who had propofed fo fuccefsful a dc-^
putation, was the firft prieftefs of this fanAuary, which
was much frequented by the Roman women «.

Early next morning Coriolanus led back his troops into ^
the country of the Volfci, and there divided all the fpoil
among his foldiers, without referving any thing for hilft*
(elf. Though this liberality coilciliated the affe£tion of
the troops in general, fo^e murmured at the refped he
had fhewn for his mother and country. Among thefe
was Attius Tullus, who, growing jealous of the efteem
and credit which his rival had gained with the foldiers,
publicly gave out, that he had betrayed the intereft of the
Volfcit Coriolanus, thus calumniated, defired he might
be allowed to clear his conduft before the general coun^
cil of the natiop. An affembly wa« accordingly held;
but while Coriolanus refuted the articles of the charge
brought againfthim by his adverfaries, Tullus, whofeafed
his eloquence no Icfs than his valour, raifed a tumult, by
the advantage of which fome of his emiflaries aflafGnated
the illuftrious exile. The foldiers who had ferved under
him loudly lamented his death, and the people of Antium
performed his obfequies with great pomps and erected a
ftately tomb to bis memory. The Romans had their rea«»
fons of ftate for not decreeing him the fame funeral ho-
nours \ for he had borne arms againft his country, and was
not yet reconciled to Rome by a regular treaty. However,
the Roman matrons, upon their presenting a petition to the
fcnate, obtained leave to wear mourning for hirh ten
months. Such was the end of the famous Marcius, fur-t
named Coriolanus, who, for his eminent virtues, and
great fervices, deferved a much better treatment both fron\
the Romans and the Volfcians. He was defccnded from
pne of the mod illufttious patrician families in Rome. He
had an excellent underftanding, was frugal, difinterefted,
of ftrift probity, and inviolably attached to the obfervaT
tion of the laws. Thefe pacific virtues were never known
to be accompanied with a more heroic courage, or a
greater capacity for the art of war. Rome never bred a
jmore able general : he was always fucceftful, becaufe al-r
ways equally brave and prudent. But he was imperiouS|
inexorably fevere, and fo far from ^fFefting popularity,
jhat he ran into the other extreme.

( Piof^. Hah p. 479, 480, Lir. lib. ii. cap. 40* Plut. in Coriol.

SECT,

The Roman Hiftory. 71

SECT. IL

From the Death of Coriolanus to the Appointment of
Decemvirs.

T J PON the advice of Conolanus's death, the confuls
^^ ventured to take the field. Thefe were Sp. Nautius,
and Sextus Furius, men of little courage or experience
in war. ' They encamped feparately on eminences, at a.
fmall diftance from the enemy. But though the -ffiqui
and Volfci, who had entered into a confederacy againft
Rome, wrangled about the choice of a general, and even
fought a bloody battle, the timorous confuls did not venture
to attack them in their retreat, but led their troops back
to Rome, where they were received amidft the reproaches
of the people K

Thefe had of late placed fuch perfons at their head as
were pliable and fubmifEve, without regarding any other
qualifications ; but having experienced the inconvenien-
cies of being governed by men of little merit, they rc-
folved for the future to change their conduft ; and there-
fore chofe two confuls who had given diftinguifhing proofs
of their courage and fkill iii war, Aquilius Tufcus, and
Sicinnius Sabinus. The former gained a complete vie- Yr. of FK
tory over the Hernici, and the latter prevailed over the a'^^I',
Volfci, who had been fo formidable under the command "!g
of Coriolanus : their army was entirely defeated, their u. C. ^S^.
camp taken, and their general Attius Tullus killed in the • .
battle. This viSory being of greater confequence than ^he Ro'
that of Aquilius, Sicinnius was decreed a triumph, and ^^^gf^^
the other only indulged with an ovation. Thefe con- J.y^J *^'^^'
fills were fucceeded by Sp. Caflius, who had been twice thehermd,
conful before, and had obtained a triumph, and Proculus ana tht
Virginius, a patrician of known courage. The latter ^^Ifcu
marched againft the iEqui ; who, upon the approach of
the Roman army, retired into their cities. The confuJ,
therefore, who was not in a condition to undertake fieges,
returned to Rome. It had fallen to Caflius's lot to make
war with the Hernici : accordingly he took the field, and,
(entering their country, by the mere terror of his arms,
obliged them to fubmit, and fue for peace. The conful,
however, would not fettle the conditions of the alliance,

^ Dion. Hal lib. viii. p. 530. Liv. lib. ii. cap. 40.

F4 tiU

72 TJ^ Roman Hijlory.

till they had fir ft obtained the confent of the fenate ;
v^hich deference fo obliged the fathers, that they im-
powcred Caffius to draw up the articles of the treaty, pro-
mifing to ratify whatever he fhould determine. This niark
of dillin£lion emboldened the conful to demand the ho«
nours of a triumph, which, though not due to him (for
he had gained no viftory), were neverthelefs granted.
He was no fooner honoured with a fccond triumph^ than
he drew up the conditions of the treaty with the Hernici,
which was only a copy of the treaty he had made with
the Latins in his fecond confulfhip. This indulgence
granted to the Hernici, gave no fmall umbrage to the
fenate : they could not confent, that a foreign nation, but
juft reconciled to Rome, fhould be raifed at once to equal
honours and privileges with the Latins, who were allied
to them by blood, and had done them many important
ferviccs.

As Caflius was a man naturally vain and oftentatious,
fome penetrating republicans began to fufpeft, that, in
thus favouring the Hernici, he had private views, preju-
Ithi conful dicial to the (late : and indeed he foon convinced them,
Sp, Caffius that his views and interefts were very different from thofe
courts the ^j ^^ commonwealth ; for, the very next day after his
thtptopie. triumph, having, according to cuftom, convened an af-
fembly of the people, to give them an account of what
he had done for the fervicc of the republic during the
campaign, among other things, he told them, that
he propofed, before the end of. his magiftracy, to ren-
der the condition of the plebeians fo happy, that they
fhould no longer envy rhat of the patricians. Next
3ay he aiTembled the fenate, and there made a long fpeech
in praife of the plebeians; which he concluded, by pro-
Tht ffr«- pofing a new divifion of the lands belonging to the pub-t
ri^ law |j^ . faying, •* It was but reafonable, that the lands taken
from the enemy fhould be divided among thofe who had
expofed their lives to enlarge the bounds of the repub-
lic.*' He added, ** That he likewife thought it reafon-
able, that the poor citizens fhould be reimburfcd what
money they had paid in the late famine for the corn,
which Gelo, one of the princes of Sicily, had made a
prelcnt of to the republic, and which ought to have been
diftributed gratis among the people." Both thefe propo-
fals were reje£led by the fenate with great indignation.
Moft of the fenators, without any refpeft to the dignity
of Caffius, publicly reproached him with his pride, his
^mbitipn^ and the dciiie be betrayed of raifmg hew trou^

The Roman Hiftory.

bles in the commonwealth. But Cafliu$» flattering him-
fclf that the people would declare in his favour, con-
vened a new aifemhly; and, having there bitterly in-
veighed againft the patricians, he exhorted the multitude
to free themfelves at once from the indigence to which
the avarice of the nobility had reduced them, by making
a folemn law for the partition of the conquered lands in
their own favour. He did not ftop here } but advifcd
them, by the fame law, to admit the Latins and Hernici
to fhare wit>h them in the diftribution. To make the
people reliih this part of his propofal, he infinuated, that
by this partition, thofe two nations would be united with
them in one common intereft, and confequently would
not fail to fupport them, in cafe of any attempt made by
the patricians to drive them from their pofleffions. This
law, as it related to the divifion of lands, was called the
agrarian law, from the Latin word ager^ fignifying land.
The people, at firft, received the propofal with great
applaufe \ but the tribunes, difpleafed to fee a conful au-
thor of a law which favoured the people, oppofcd it to
the utmoft of their power, and brought over to their
party great numbers of the people, who, at firft, had
been fond of Caffius, and had blamed both tribunes and
patricians as betraying their intereft : ** It is a (hamc,
(faid the tribunes), to fufl^er lands, which you have ac-
quired by your blood, to be profufely diftriouted among
allies who had no fliare in your conquefts. Why are
the Hernici to have one^third of their lands left to them ?
Ought they not, as a conquered people, to be entirely de-
prived of them ? Romans, there is, without all doubt,
a deflgn upon your liberty. Your flavery will be the con-
fequence of this fatal divifion of lands, which the artful
conful would make between you and foreigners. By that
extraordinary diftribution of lands between the conquerors
and the conquered, he defigns to make the old enemies
of Rome his creatures, to the prejudice of the republic^
and to pave himfclf a way to fovereign power." When
Caffius, and his colleague Virginius, who oppofed this
law, were difputing before the people, Rabuleius, an art-
ful tribune, ad^refled them both to this cfFcft : ** Is not
your difpute, whether the people of Rome fhall take pof-
feflion of all the conquered lands, or fhare them with the
Hernici and Latins ?" The confuls agreed it was: upon
which the tribune, turning to the people, " Our confuls
agree (faid he), as to the main point : neither of them is
£pr excluding you from the l^adfi in queftion. Lofe no

time

73

Wk)fth€

tribunis

^he artfmi

conduQ of
the trihuMg
Rabukius*

74

Jppimf
Liau Jilts
•fpojes tht
Mgrarian

His fcheme
vtith rela^
tien 10 the
conquered

The Rtman Hiftory.

time, tlierefbre} Romans, in taking pofieflioh of what is
unanimoufly granted you. As to the other article, leaye
it to be confidered of hereafter." This advice pleafed the
people, who were for having the claufe in favour of fo-
reigners dropped ; but Caffius, who was fond of his own
fcheme, difmifled the afiembly, before they came to any
xefolution. As the people were then unanimoufly inclined
to favour Virginius, CaiBus did not appear for fome daya
in public, pretending to be indifpofed ; but, in reality,
contriving new expedients to have his law pafled. lo
this end, he brought as many Latins to Rome as he ceuld
aflemble ; for they had the privileges of Roman citizens*
But Virginius, aware of his colleague's defign, publiibed
a decree, commanding all thofe, who were not inhabit
tants of Rome, to leave ir immediately. Caffius, on the
other hand, iffued an edid, declaring it lawful for any
one, who was enrolled among the citizens of Rome, to
remain in the city ; fo that a fedition was like to enfue.

The fenate afiembled, to prevent the calamities which
feemed to threaten the ftate. Several opinions were of-
fered : Appius Claudiua fpoke ^rft, and oppofed the Caf-*
fian law in both its parts : he ^veighed againft Virginius
for Ihewing too much indulgence to the people, and their
tribunes. He propofed that ten commiffioner^ fhould be
named, to take an exa£t account of fuch lands as belonged
originally to the public : that part of thofe lands fhould
be fold for th^ ufe of the treafury \ and another part dif.
tributed among the poorer citizens who had none of their
own ; that the commons fhould be reflored y and land*
marks placed wherever they were neceflary, the want of
which had occafioned all the abufes thaf were now found
fo grievous ; that the remainder of lands fhould be leafed
out at the full rent, but never for a longer term than five
years; and that the produce fhould be' applied to the.
maintenance of the plebeians Who were in aftual fervice,
A. Sempronius Atratinus, a man much refpefted by the
fenate^ after having highly approved of Appius's advice,
obferved, that there were two forts of lands to be dif-
'pofed of; fome, which were formerly conquered by the
Romans, without the affiflance of their allies ; thefe,
he thought, ought to be divided between the public
and the indigent Romans only : others,* that had been
lately cpncjucred from the Hernici, by the afBflance of
the Latins, he was of opinion, ought to be divided
between the public, the Romans, the Latins, and the

tiernicif

The Roman ffi/iory.

Hemic!, who trere now become .allies. As to the crea^'
tion of the decemvirs, he feconded that motion.

Purftiant to the ^vice of thefe two fenators, a femttuf-
confultum, or decree of the fenate, Was drawn up ; by
which it was enaded, that ten of the fathers, who Had
been confuls, (hould be appointed to divide the conquered
lands between the treafury, the Romans, and their allies ;
that, for the future, ail the lands the Romans (hould con«
quer, with the affiftance of their allies, fliould be divided
between the public treafury, the citizens of Rome, and
thofc allies ; and laftly, that the choice of the firft de-
cemvirs (hould be left to the confuls of the enfuing year.
As the eftates of the principal men in Rome lay wnolly
in thofe conquered lands, they clogged the decree with
this laft article, which they hoped would retard the exe-
cution of it $ and the chief men in the fenate refolved to
impeach Ca(]ius, and profecute him to the utmoft, in
■order to deter othei-s from moving in this affair. Accord-
ingly the two new confuls, Q^Fabius, and Servius Corne-
lius, had no fooner entered upon their office, than the qux-
ftors, Caefo Fabius, brother to the firft conful, and Vale-
rius, nephew to the great Foplicola, having convened an
aflenibly of the people, according to the power annexed
to their office, accufed Caffius of having introduced fo^
reign troops into the city, with a defign to ufurp the fo-
vereignty. The charge being proved by the depoiitions
of the Latins and Hemici themfelves, Ca(fius was con*
demned by the unanimous voice of all his fellow-citizens,
and thrown down headlong from the top of the Tarpeian
rock*.

The pride of the patricians, and their contemptuous
tre^itment of the people, foon made the poorer citizens
regret the lofs of Caffius, who had been their zealous de-
fender. The confuls poftponed from day to day, the nomi-
nation of the decemvirs for the diftribution of the lands,
notwithftanding the folicitation of the tribunes to have
the agrarian law put in execution. This delay provoked
the people; who, being excited by the feditious harangues
of their tribunes, began to hold private affemblies, and
threaten both the confuls and the fenate. Every thing
feemed to tend to a revolt, when the confuls had recourfe
to the old expedient of amufing the people with a war ;
but as they were aware, that the tribunes would oppofe
(he necefTary levies, they ca^ifed a rumour to be fpread.

75

decne a
partitnm
of the COM*
quered
landfm

Sp.C^ffms

is condemn"
idf and
executed.

Ne*w trouf
bles on ac»
count of the
agrarian
law*

^ DioBf Ha)« pf 537«*v5f 5t IM* lib. ii« cap« 41^

that

j6 7*^^ Rman Hiftory.

that they ^i^re going to create a di£iator» and that Ap-
pius Claudius would be chofen. The name of a man fo
fevere, and fo much dreaded by the muttitude, made fuch
an impreffion on the people, that they lifted themfelves
without delay. Cornelius entered the country of the
Veientes ; and Q^Fabius invaded the Volfci. Both confols
were attended with uncommon fuccefs : Fabius returned
with a great booty in cattle and flaves ; but fold the wholes
and put the money into the hands of the quaeftors, with-'
out giving the leaft part of it to his foldiers ^ This year
being erpired, Cseu) Fabius the quaeftor» and iEmilius
MamercinuS} were chofen confuls in the comitia by cen*
turies. iEmilius marched againft the Volfci, by whom
he was defeated in the field ; but the enfemy having at-
tacked his camp) after he had received a ftrong reinforce-
ment from his colleague, he fallied out, put them to
flight, and laid wafte their country.

During the abfence of the confuls, the fenate, to divert
the people's minds from the agrarian law, ordered the
confecration of the temple of Caftor and Pollux, which
had been vowed by Pofthumius at the battle of Reeillus.
Mean while, the time for elefting new confuls being
come, M. Fabius, brother to Quintus and Csefo, and L»
Valerius, who, in his quaeftormip, had been inftrumen-
tal in the deftruflion of Cailius, were chofen. During
their confulate, the war with the Volfci breaking out
anew, the tribune Maenius protcfted againft any levies for
the fervjce, till the decemvirs Ihould be named for ex-
ecuting the agrarian law. The confuls, to extricate
themfelves from this perplexity, carried their tribunal out
of Rome, beyond the jurifdidion of the tribunes, which
was confined within the walls of the city. They then
fent a fummons to the people ; and, if any one refufed to
appear, or give in his name, they ordered his houfe in
the countrv to be demoliftied, and his lands laid wafte.
Thus, witnout having any contefts with the tribunes,
they brought the people to their duty, and foon formed
two armies ; one to march againft the Veientes, and the
other againft the Volfci. The confuls, diftrufting their
troops, which confifted of men il]-afFe£):ed to them, and,
for the moft part, enlifted againft their will, agreed to
Anengape- ^^ ^^^1 upon the defenfive. This agreement was ob-
nuttt 'With ferved by Fabius, who marched againft the Veientes ; but
thtyoljci, .Valerius came to aa engagement with the Volfci, which

tkttofthe
Umpli of
Caflor and
Foilux.

Wmrwith

tkiFolfcu

k Liv. lib. ii. cap. 4>. Dion. Hal, p. 547»-'SS^

proved

The Roman Hiftoty: - "jy

proved very bloody, without any confiderable advantage
on either fide ; for both armies, after having fought many
hours with incredible fury, retired, to their refpeftivc
camps* The friends of Valerius at Rome declared, that
it was through want of affeciion in the foldiers to their
general, that he had not gained a complete vi£lory ; but
the foldiers, in all their letters, accufed their general of
incapacity in military affairs. The confuls detained their
foldiers in the field as long as poffible, to avoids freih dif-
turbances; but, the time for the eleftion of new magif-
trates drawing near, they were obliged to return to Rome : Newdif-
and then difcord raged again with more fury than ever '• turkances^

The patricians were inclined to promote Appius Clau«
dius, fon of the famous Appius, who had fo fignally
fliewed his averfion to the people ; but, as often as the
<:onfuls ordercd the centuries to afiemble, the tribunes,
at the head of the people, made fo much noife, that it
' was impoffible to proceed to the eledion. The confuls
and the fenate endeavoured to appeafe the tumult ; but
to no efiea, the tribunes telling them, that, unlefs they
chofe men of unqueftio^able charafters, they fliould find
means to prevent any eleftion ; and that they would not
fufFer tyrants to be impofed upon them for magiftrates.
As thefe difputes threatened a (edition, the fenate agreed An interm
to reduce the republic for fome time to an interregnum, ^^g*"^"^*
and commit the adminiftration of affairs to fome venerable
•old men, who fhould govern by turns, and take care to
provide new confuls. S. Atratinus was the firft who
took upon him the care of public afiairs, according to
this fcheme; and, from that time, all other authority
ceafed in Rome. To him, a few days after, fucceeded
Sp. Lartius, a man of a pacific difpofition, who managed
both parties fo artfully, that he prevailed on each to abate
a part of their demands. It was concluded, that the
cle£kion ihould be made as ufual, and by the votes of the
centuries ; and that the two parties fhould agree upon the
perfons who fhould be raifed to the confulate. Union Unkn n*
being re-efhblifhed upon thefe conditions, they proceeded, iftablifoiJ^
only for form-fake, to the ele£);ion. The tribunes pro-
cured the confular dignity for C. Julius lulus, who was
of the people's party : the patricians named for his col-
league Q^Fabius Vitulanus, who, without having ever
offended the people, had on all occafions afferted the*
rights of the fenate. As for the promotion of Appius»

1 Djion. Hah lib. ix. p. 559—562. Liv. lib. ii. cap. ^%,

the

7S

TA< ervil
frntfi break
mdAfrefi*

^e fenati^
by aflrata'
gem, make
the neceffU'
fj le-vies.

Great ad-

nfantages

9*ver the

The Roman Hijiory.

the patriciah^y fearing the oppofition of the tribunes might
raife a fatal fedition, thought it advifeable to defer it to
more peaceable times. The tribunes made fome oppofi-
tion to the new levies, in hopes of getting the decemvirs
named, and obtaining the partition of the lands : but Fa-
bius, notwithilanding their oppofition, raifed fuch a num-
ber of troops, as enabled him to take the field, and ravage
the country of the Veientes ".

The civil feuds broke out afrefli upon the next eledHon
of confuls : the people infifted on choofing patricians of
their party ; and the fenate determined to eled fuch only
as were in the intereft of the nobility. Each party avert-
ed its pretenfions with equal warmth ; but at length the
difpute was accommodated, and they agreed to obferve the
fame rule as in the lafi: eleftion. The fenate named Cse-
fo Fabius, who, in his quaeftorfliip, had deftroyed Caf-
£us ; and the people pitched upon Sp. Furius. The uSqui
and the Veientes having renewed their incurfions, the
confuls ordered the people to take arms; but Sp.Icilius,
or Licinius, as Livy calls him, one of the tribunes, re-
vived the former quarrel relating to the divifion of lands,
and declared he would vigoroufly oppofe all the decrees
that ft^puld be iffued by the fenate, till the decemvirs
were named. In the mean time, the ^qui and Vei-
entes, with fire and fword, laid wafte the territory of
Rome, while the confuls were difabled from taking the
field, through theobftinacy of the tribunes, who prevent
ed their making levies. In this perplexity, Appius thought
of an expedient, which proved very fuccefsful : this was,
to gain over fome of the tribunes ; for, if the oppofition
of a fingle tribune could Aifpend the execution of a decree
of the fenate, he concluded, that it had the fame force
as to the refolutions of his colleagues. The fenators
therefore exerted their endeavours to gain over fome of the
tribunes, and their efforts fucceeded ; four of that college
declaring in a public afiembly, they could not endure,
that the enemy ihould thus lay wafte.the country-with im-
punity. The oppofition of Icilius being therefore over-
ruled, the people took arms. Furius, being beloved by
his foldiers, made a fuccefsful campaign, and. gained very
confiderable advantages over the ^qui ; but the troops of
Fabius, who were to aft againft the Veientes, chofe ra-
ther to lofe their ov^n glory, than gain any honour for
their general. They refufed to purfue the enemy, after

Dion. Hal« ibid. Liv. lib. ii, cap, 43.

they

The Roman Hijiory.

they had put their troops to flight, left, by n^aking their
vi£lory complete, they Ihould procure Fabius a triumph
at his return to Rome. Neither did their animofity flop
here; but, the night following, they ftruck their tents
without orders, and began their march towards the city.
The conful, finding it impoffible to govern them, founded
a retreat, and returned to Rome \

As it was ndw become cuftomary in the republic to
have one of the confuls chofen according to the inclinations
of the people, and the other agreeable to thofe of the fe-
nate, the patricians raifed to the confulate M. ♦Fabius a
fecond time, notwithftanding his brother Caefo had befefi
fo difagreeable to the army the year before ; and the peo-
ple promoted Cn. Manlius Cincinnatus. In their confu-
late, the Hetrurians, encouraged by the divtfions in Rome,
invaded • the Roman territory with a numerous army.
Pontificius, one of the tribunes, renewed the old difputc ;
but, the fenate having gained fome of their college, an
army of twenty thoufand men was raifed, and equally di-
vided between the two confuls ; who, taking the field,
encamped near each other ; but had fo little dependence
on the aiFeftion of their troops, that they kept within their
entrenchments. In the mean time, lightning falling
upon the tent of the conful Manlius, the augurs declared,
jhat his camp would be taken by the enemy : upon which
predidion, he quitted it the fame night, and joined his
'■Sumy to that of Fabius. The Hetrurians, interpreting the
omen to their advantage, feized the deferted camp, and
then infulted the united armies in their entrenchments.
Upon this otcaikin, thofe very foldiers, who, a little be-
fore, had agreed not to come to battle, began to complain
of their commanders for not leading them out againft the
enemy. The generals feemed to confult, whether jt
were proper to engage ; but their true defign was, to in-
aeafe the eagernefs of the foldiers by farther delays.

Accordingly, they grew fo impatient to attack the in-
fulting Hetrurians, that the confuls were obliged to take
away their arms, left they fliould rufti to battle without
orders. Then they crouded about the general's tent,
making great clamours Fabius feized that opportunity
to reproach them with their former behaviour, and to in-
creafe their ardour by exprefling a diffidence of their cou-
rage and honour. They all cried out with one voice,
** Lead us on, and lay aCdc your fufpicions." One Fla-

79

Fabiui a*
bandotud
by tAeJii^
diirst

Yr. of Fl.

1870. %
Ante Chr.

478-
U. C. 27a.

The Hetru-
rians tH"
'vadethi
Roman Ur*
ritory.

nefs of the
Romans /•
engage.

^ Dioo. Hal. ibid. Lhr. ibid.

Toleius^

Sa

Jf . Fabius
mnd Cn,
Mantius

engage the

Hitruri'

ans.

^. Fabius
kiikd.

The Roman Hifiory*

voleius, a centurion, in great efteem among the troops,
afcended an eminence, and thus addreiTed himfelf to the
confuls : " I plainly fee you have not quite laid afide your
diflruft of us ; and, indeed, you have reafon to fear-, that
we (hall not a£l anfwcrably to our promifes \ but for my
part at leaft, I declare, I will behave in the battle like a
true Roman. Fellow-foldiers (continued "he), do you
take the fame oath that I am now about to take.** So
faying, he drew his fword, and, lifting it up towards hea-
ven, exclaimed, " O great Jupiter, Mars, and thou god,
whofoever thou art, who puniiheft breach of faith, I call
you to witnefs, that I will never return to Rome till I
have conquered !" The confuls, inferior officers, and all
the foldiers, took the fame oath, and confirmed it by fa-
crifices. Then the confuls reftored the foldiers their
arms, and led them out of the camp in filence and good
order, to take pofTefiion of an advantageous poll, v^erc
they formed in battalia. On the other hand, the Hetru-
rians were furprifed to fee the cowardly Romans come
out of their entrenchments, and offer tnem battle. As
this was an occurrence they did not exped, they had not
brought the foldiers of the two camps together. However,
either of their armies was confiderably more numerous than
that of Rome ; beCdes, it was confidently reported, that
the Romans would betray their generals, and defert them
in the heat of the engagement.

The Hetrurians* full of thefe hopes, founded thft
charge. The conful Manlius commanded the right wing
of the Roman army, Q^Fabius conduced the left, and
M. Fabius, the other conful, led the main body. Both
armies advanced with great (houts, and came to a clofe
engagement. The front of the right wing of the Hetru-
rians being more extended than that of the left wing of
the Romans, and more numerous, Fabius, with great
difficulty, Withftood the multitude by whom he was. op-
pofed. However, he had broken into a great body of
Veientes, and put them in diforder, when a Hetrurian
of a gigantic ftature, attacking him, plunged his lance
into his breaft. Fabius drew it out, and foon after fell
from his horfe and died. Upon his death the left wing
was furrounded ; a circumftance which the conful Fabius
hearing, immediately quitted his poft, and flew to their
affiftance, with his brother Csefo, and fuch troops as he
could confide in. Finding the Romans, diflieartened at
the lofs of their leader, giving way, and ready to quit
their poft, he cried out j ** Fellow-foldiers, have you for-
got

The Roman Hjfiofyi $i

got your oaths? Will you (hamcfulJy fly back td the
Camp ? Arc you more afraid of the Hetrurians thari o^
Jupiter and Mars ? " Having uttered thefe words, he
threw himfelf into the midft of the cncttiy j aiid being
feconded by the troops he brought With hith, obliged the'
Hetrurians to retire with great flaughteh In the right
wing, commanded by Manlius, the Romans fought with
great pourage and refolution, till the brave cortful, being
wounded, was carried out of the field. Then his abfericci T/*^ ««•
and th,e report of his death, made a great alieratidti on /*' Matf
that fide. The Romans began to lofe ground'^ when ^"*^ . .
the conful Fabius, and his brother, appeared unexpeftedly ' ** '^
in the firft ranks. They affured the defponding Romans,
that the enemy's right wing and main body were put to
flight, and that the conful Manlius was ftill alive. In
confequence of this aflurance, the troops returned to the
charge, and would have gained a complete viftory, if a
new battle had not begun in another place.

A body of Veientes, in the heat of the aftion, at-
tacked the Roman camp, which was guarded by a fmall
number of troops, and were ready to enter it, when 'Man-
lius, wounded as he was, hearing of their danger, caufed
himfelf to be carried thither ; but while, forgetful of his

^ wound, he was defending, at the head of a fmall body of
chofen horfe, one of the avenues to the camp, his ftrength

^being quite exhaufted, he fell from his horfe, and, being
furrounded by the enemy, was killed on the fpot. His andaflifm
death was followed by the lofs of the camp, the Romans wards
who defended it being overpowered wifh numbers. The ^^^'-f^-
conful Fabius, who was ftill engaged in the plain, ap- ^'^^ ^^" .
prifed of this event, wheeled about, and falling unexpeft- a/p»al'
cdly upon the Hetrurians, retook the camp 5 then, haften- 'oiaory,
ingback to the field of battle, completed the defeat of the ^^'(flj fy
enemy, who retired into their entrenchments in diforder. ^^' ^avi^
Thus the Romans gained the viSory; but it coft them ^abiu'
dear, one of the confuls, the furviving conful's brother,
and a greater number of pcrfons of diftinftion being killed
than in any former aftion. The conful was fo afFefted
with the death of his brother, that, at his return to Rome,
he declined the honours of a triumph, which had been
decreed him while he was in the camp. He entered the
city in mourning, bringing with hirii the bodies of his
colleague and brother ; and, mounting the roftra, made a
panegyric on thofe two heroes, without faying any thing
of his own exploits. Being now fole governor of the re-
public, he was afraid of countenancing the leaft appear-
Vol. X. G ance

8i The Roman H0ofy.

ancc of monarcliy } therefore he aMicfted the confuKbip
two months .before it expired* and, leaving the govern-
ment in an interregnum> retired. This modeft and ge«
herous behaviour gained him the hearts of the people ; fo
that from this time the Fabii became popular °.

The Roman people, aflcntbling in the Campus Martins^
chofe Caefo Fabius the third time ; fo that now the three
brothers had enjoyed that office for feven years fucceffively.
The colleague whom the centuries gave nim was T. Vir-

S"nius. 1 ne new magiftrates had no fooner entered upon
eir office, than Fabius, actuated by his increafmg aiFe£tion
for the people, laboured to reconcile them to the fenate.
The demands of the people, relating to the diilribution of
conquered lands, and the refufal of the patricians, had
C^fi Fa" ^^^" ^^^ '°"g ^^^ fource of divifions in the republic. The
biusad' conful, therefore, before the tribunes had prefented their
'uifestke annual petition on that head, exhorted the fenators to
fenau to prevent the complaints of the people, and end. the daily
^alrarian difturbances, by making the diftribution of thofe lands
laiv if» ex' of their own accord. But Fabius was not heard : fomu
icuMH. rallied him on his new zeal for the interefts of the people ;
others murmured 5 and feme even accufed him of ambi-
tion. He was attended with fuccefs in his military expe-
ditions; the ^qui, M'ho had committed great : ravages in
the Latin territories, he difperfed without the lofs of a
man ; and haftened to the relief of his colleague, who,
being furrounded by the Veientes, without affiftance,
would have been obliged to furrender at difcretion. Nor
was this the only. remarkable fervice that Csefo Fabius ren-
dered the republic in his third confulate : the two cbnfuls
/ were fcarce returned to Rome, and their armies disbanded,

when the Hetfurians entered again the Roman territory,
and made incurCons even to the foot of the hill Janicu-
lum, can yiiig off the cattle, and laying, the whole coun-
try wafte. The fenate aflembled to deliberate upon the
• means of putting a flop to thefe devaftations ; but the peo-
ple refufing to take arms till the agrarian law fhould be
put in execution, the fathers .were greatlv perplexed. In
this emergency Fabius formed a projetk worthy of bis
affeftlon for bis country; he aflembled all the men of his
own name and family; and having communicated to
them his defign, which was, that the family of the. Fabii
fliould alone, and at their own expence, take upon tjiem
to fecure the frontiers againfttbe Veientes, they readily

♦ Dion. Hal. lib. ix- p. 561 — 570. Li v. lib» ii. cap. 44^47.
».i'* -. con-

the komm Hlftory. 83 •

donfeht^d to the inolion, and cotnmunicafed their deGgn The Fabian
to the fathers ; by whom it was received with applaufe, famify un^
and unanimoufly approved. Early next morning, thofe ^^^p^^^

^ illttftrious patricians, being in all three hundred and fix, guard^tht
appeared under arms at the door of Csefo Fabius, znd frontien a^
from thence marched through the city in good order, gififrjf the
with aboiit four thoufand men, partly their vaffals and ^«>»''J*
partly their clients, all under the command of M. Fabius,^
who had laft year gained the battle of Veii. The whole

- city fan in crouds to fee them, and made vows to heaven *
for their prefervation. They went out of the city at the
gate Carmentalis, and, marching to the banks of the Cre*
mera, now the Bac(;ano, a fmali river which difcharges
itfelf into the Tiber, there built a fort in a fteep place,
furrounded it with a double ditch, and erefted towers 'at
certain diftances. When the works were finiflied, they
divided their men into four fmall bodies ; one of thefc
was left to guard the fort, while the other three marched
into three feveral parts of the enemy's country, which

'they ravaged. Their firft expeditions were 5ittended with
fucQ fueccfs, that no hufbandmen durft tippear in the
plains, or bring out theit cattle p. '

Mean while Lucius -ffimiUus a fecond time, and C. Ser*
villus, being eleflied confuls, Caefo Fatius, the laft yearns
conful, bbtained leare to join his family on the banks of
the Cremera; but the coiifcript fathers, to gain him
the more; rcfpeft, created a new office, declaring him c^fr, p^^
proconful, a title which gave him the fame power over bms the
the troops he commanded, as if he had been con ful ; but ^'^^ P*'^'
no other authority (I). The new confuls had fcarce en- 'i^f!\^jjfL
tered upon their office, when news were brought to Rome, the Hetrw
that the Hetrurians were raifmg a formidable army, in nans, thi
order to fall upon the Fabii ; and that the 'jEcjui and yolfci, and
Volfci had already invaded the country of the Latins. '*^ -^jw*
2n confequence of this intelligence the confuls divided
their army into three bodies: ^milius led one*againft.

.the Vci^ntes ; Servilius rtarched with another againft the
Volfci ; and Sp. Furl us the third, with the title of pro-
ronful, advanced againft the iffiqui. The Volfci, being
attacked by Servilius, repulfed him, and obliged him to

p Dion. HaL p. 570—583. Li v. lib. ii. cap. 4S, 4.9.

(1) Livy does not mention batus, as commanding the
the creation of a proconful till army of the republic againft
the year of Rome 289, when the uEqui in that quality.
he fpeaks of T. Quinftius Bar- ^

d 2 keep

84

The Hetm*
rians tn-

tirify de'
feattd hy
JEmiliuj,
ivAograufs
tbempea<e.

Thefenattf
pro*voked
at his tH"
duigence,
refufe htm
a triumph ;

luhoy out
of pique 9
dijhands
kit army,
rhe ret'
intes oblig'
^d by the
other lucu*
monies to
break the
treaty
made with
theRo^

The Roman Hijtory^

keep within his camp, without atteoipting anv thing clfc
that fummer. The jEqui fled at the approacn of Furius,
who laid wafte their country. The Veientes, having re-
ceived ftrong reinforcements from the other Hetrariaa
lucumonies, hazarded an engageinent with Emilias ; but
were entirely defeated, and forced to fue for peace. The
conful, out of refpe£k to the fenate, referred the deputies
to the confcript fathers ; and they, in return, gave him
full power to conclude a treaty upon what conditions he
(houid think proper. Thus impowered, the conful grant-
ed them a peace, without demanding hoftages, or requir-
ing any thing more than two months provifions for his
army, and money to defray the expences of the war for
fix month s»

This indulgence highly offended the fenate, infomucfa
that they refufed him a triumph. However, as he was
an excellent commander, they promifed to reward him
according to his merit, on condition he relieved his col-
league, who was blocked up in bis camp by the Volfci.
But iEmilius, piqued at the refufal he had met with, re-
turned to Rome, and complained to the people of the
proceedings of the fenate, as if they were difpleafed with
him becaufe he had put too fpeedy an end to the war with
the Veintcs. ** The patricians (faid he) prolong the wars
•abroad with no other view than to put off" the execution of
the Cai&an law, and the diftribution of the conquered
lands." He did not ftop here ; but, giving way to his re-
fentment, inftead of marching to the affiftance of Servi-
lius, he difbanded his army, and recalled Furius, who, as
proconful, was obliged to obey his orders ^.

Notwithftanding the peace concluded with the Veientes,
the Fabii did not abandon their poft, but continued on
the frontiers to keep a people in awe, whofe inconftancy,
and inclination to break treaties, were well known. Jn
the following confulfhipof C.'Horatiusand T. Meneniuf,
the other Hetrurianlucumonies, offended at the feparatc
peace the Veientes h^d made with Rome, fummoned
them to appear in the general diet of the nation ; and
there gave them to. underftand, that they muft either
break the treaty, or fuftairi a war with the other eleven
lucumonies. The Veientes, reduced to this dilemma,
chofe the former part of the alternative ; and accordingly
fent to the Fabii, requiring them to demolifli their fort,
and quit the frontiers. The Fabii rejected the propofal

i Dion. Hal* ibid, Liv, lib. ii. cap. 49,

with

The Roman Hiflory. 85

with indignation ; hoftilities were Immediately renewed ;
and all Hetruria efpoufed the quarrel of their countrymen.
The Fabii continued to ravage the country, and often en-
gaged the Vcientes in the open field with their ufual fuo-
ceis, till they were at laft furprifed in an ambufli.

The Veientes lodged a whole army of Hetrurians in a Tki FabU
neighbouring wood, and potted centincls on all the furprifed'm
emmences, to give them notice when the Fabii ihoijld ^» ambujb.
fally from their fortrefs. Then they brought fori^h all
their cattle and horfes into a valley, under a fmalJ guards
as if they had no other defign than to feed them. The
Fabii immediately marched out in a great body, leaving
no more men in the fort than were neceffary to fecure \t ..

from a furprize. They advanced in good order; and the »

herdfmeny with their guard, flying on their approach,
feme of the Fabii purfued the fugitives, while others
feized the cattle, and a fmall number of them continued
drawn up in order of battle. The Hetrurians fallied out
of the wood, furrounded the Romans on all fides, and cut
in pieces thofe who were in purfuit oiF the booty. Thus
environed, the Fabii, who had kept their ranks, formed
into a compaft body, which faced every way, quitted the
plain, and gained an eminence, opening themfelves a
way with their fwords through the enemy's forces.
When they had got half way up the afccnt, they fell into
another ambufli, and were encompafled anew by a frefli
body of Hetrurian troops, which had been potted in a wood
near the hill.

Though quite exhaufted, they renewed the fight with ^^g miftr^
great .vigour, and at length gained the top 6f the hiJl. abURatt
xhere they fpent the night without any provifions, befet ^f^f^^ P^-
on all fides by an army of Hetrurians. Next day the Fa- t,"* , .
bii, who were left to guard the fort, being informed of on^lJ^Us^
the danger of their relations, battened to their relief ; but
being attacked in the plain by a numerous body of the
enemy, they were cut off to a man. Thofe who were on
the top of the hill being now hard preffcd by hunger and
thirtt, broke their way through the enemy, of whom they
killed great numbers. The Hetrurians, furprifed at their
courage and intrepidity, in ibe heat of aftion offered to
let them retire unmolefted, upon condition they would
throw down their arms, and give their word, that they
would abandon the fort. But this they looked upon as a
diflionourable propofal, and therefore chofe rather to die
with glory, than lave their lives by an a£lion which they
thought would refle£t difgtace on their family. They re-

G 3 ncwed

86' The Roman Hiftory^ I

HCwcd the attack with fuch fury, that the Hetruiians were |
glad to avoid a clofe engagement ^ but keeping at a dif* ]
tance, fbowered from all parts darts and ftones on thofe
illudfious heroes. They fuftaiiied for fomc time this
dreadful ftorm of tniSiles, and made repeated e£Forts to
clofe with the enemy, who continually retired at their
approach. At length the Hetrurians, perceiving that the
fwords of the Romans were, for the moft part, brpken,
and their bijcyeris fplit in pieces, ventured to attact them
man to man.
Yr. of Fl. Then the Fabii, like men in defpair, threw themfelvcSy
?^7 V with incredible fury, into the midft of the Hetrurian batta*
4J5. ^' ^^^^^> ^"^' fnatching th^ arms of their enemies, fougbl
y. C.a73. them ivith tbcir own weapons. The Hetruria»s, thus
■ prefled, were again obliged to have recourfe to javelins

/// thi ' jind ftones, with which thofe brave men were over*
lifj powered, ^nd all killed on the fpot. The enemy cut off

thifplu ^^^^^^ heads, and, carrying them in triumph on the topi j
of tUeif lances^ ftievired them to the Fabii, who remained
in the fort. At this fight th^y gave themfelves up to
defpair, and, inftead of defending the ramparts, fallied
Qut^upon the enemy, without obferving any ordp> aiming ^
^t nothing but to fell their lives dear. Thefe were like-
wife cut in pieces; fo that, of the three hundred and fi< j
ifabii, not one efcaped.* j

Rome cxprefl'ed all the concern for thofe brave warriors |
that gratitude could infpire. The gate Carmentalis, \
through which they marched out of the city, was thence*
foith called Porta Scjelerata, or the AccurfgdGate \ and the |
day of thei« defeat was reckoned among the unlucky dayS| \
on which it was not lawful to b^gin any thing of conie? I
(Juence^ ' i

The conful Menenius, who had received orders tq
march againft the Hetruriansy was but tfiirty furiongs
from the field of battle, when; the Fafbii were cut oSi |
put it was believed that he, out of jealoufy, gave them i
up to deftruflion^ when he might have eafily advanced
to their afTiftance. He afterwards encamjfcd difadvan^ <
tageoully on the fid? of a hill, without Cpcurmg the top of
%hifonful jj. fp y^^^ ^j^e Hetrurian^ occupying thev fummit, ati \
deleaudb^ tacke^ him from the higher ground, entirely d€feate4
tke Hetru' b^"™' ^^^ noade themfelves matters of hiscamp« Elated
^i^is I ^^^ ^^ vidlory, they advanced to th^ bill Janiculum,
^d pofted theii^felves pn tbe fununit, whence they coul4

Whe Roman Riftaiy. fj

fee aU t^t paflitd in the dtf, and obferre what prepara-
tions were made agatnft a fiege. This tbetr pofition
ohtig€(i'tfa« fenate to. recall the conful Hoyetius, and th^
ari»7 which was appointed to zQt againft the Volfci. The
brave iioradus imaiediatelv ventured a baitle with the
Hetrorians near the gate Coiiina, the fuccefs of which
was pret^ty eqoal ; but in a fecond, near the temple of who, m
Hope, about a mile from Rome, he gained a vidory, tkeir turn^
which retriv«d' the Roman couragCj and fecured the cit/. ^^* defeat'
However, the enemy did not decamp from the Janiculum, '^'
flor quite layt^de their defign of befieging Rome.

At the fcm« ume a famine began to be felt in the city, a faming.
eccafioned by the incurfions of 'the Hetrurians. The in Romt^
hnds Iiaving been left unfown the laft ye^r, through fear . : . . .
d their ravages, and moft of the barns o( the country
bomror phindered, a gr^t fcarcity of corn enfued. The
meaner fort of the people afiembled in companies, threat-*
cnsng to plunder the granaries of the rich y and their cla^
jBioiirs and mutinies were fbmenfied by tiie^ tribunes, who .
did not fail to throw all the bbihe on the confcript fa->
diers. On the Mother hand, the f^^nators, to clear them-
felves, did all that lay in their power to relieve the peo-
ple. Tbcy fent forth merchants to bijy com, fixed the
price of it at a low rate, and- ordered that none of the pa-
tricians ihould keep more in their granaries than was ne-
cefTary for the maintenance of their families. But thefe
wife precautions were only ferviceable for a time. The
Romans found themfelves at laft under a neceffity either
of ftarving, or drivinjg the enemy farther off. They
marched out therefore under the condu£l: of their new*
eonfuls, A. Vtrginius and .P. Servilius ; and, engaging- 7*^/ ^^/r^.
the Hetrurians, gained a complete viftory over them, rians en*
But when by the dead bodies that were brought to Rome *'r^!yj^'
to be burnt, theMfenate faw how many Romans had pe- ^^^^
riihed in the engagement, they refufed the eonfuls the
honour of a triumph *.

. The departure of the Hetrurians reftored plenty to the
city, proviifions being imported from all the neighbouring
countries. But the people were no fooner delivered from
tlie fear of a foreign enemy, than they renewed their
C€Hnplaints refpefting the diftriBution of the conquered
lands. As they could not enforce the execution of the Caf-
fian law, they laid the whole blame upon the eonfuls, cit-
ing them before the affembly of the tribes as foon as the new
eonfuls, C.Nautius and C. Valerius, were chofen. Thus

• Dion. Hal. ib«d« Li v. Hb. ii. cap. 51, 52.
j'' . G4 Mcnenius

as

eccufed bi»
fori thi
peopUt and
fentencedto

rhif$H'
fence of
diath
€hanged
itttoafng.

^tdiurf

TAe ani*
mojity be-
tween thi
patricians
4tndpli'
beians i>-

S$rv%ltus
^ccujedy
hut ac-
^Hitted.

The Roman Wftory.

Menenius, thfi fon of the famous Menenius Agrippat, was
eccufed by the tribunes of having connived at the deftruo
/tion of the Fabii, and fummohed to give an account of his
condud before a tribunal, where his moil inveterate ene»
mies were his judges. The patricians ufed the iaxne arts
they had pradifed in the affair of Coriolanus, to prevent
his being tried by the people, but to no purpofe ; for the
tribunes continued obftinate, and their obftinacy pre*
vailed. Menenius was tried, not by the curiae^ but by
the tribes, and almoft unanimoully. condemned to death.
But the fenate foliciting esurneftly.in his faebalf, the trir
\mnc9 ^banged the fentence into a fine of two thou(and
afes, thatid» about five pounds of our money ; aconfider-
able fum at that period, when men of the nrft rank lived
upon the produ£l of their fmali farms, which they often
cultivated with their own hands. This fine was indeed
exceffive, with refpe£t to Men£nius9 whofe father had
left him no other patrimony but his glory. His friends
offering to pay U for^ him, he rejefied their generous
offers ; and being fenfibly affeded with the injuftice: and
ingratitude of his fellow-citizens, fhut himfelf up iu his
houfe, where he foon died of grief and hunger ^

This melancholy accident greatly inflamed the animo-
fity between the patricians and plebeians ; the former, de-
termining to keep no meafures with the latter, openly dc*
clared that they would not fuffer the Caffian law to be put
ip execution. On the other hand, the tribunes, more en<r
raged than ever, omitted no opportunity of profecuting
the nobility They took pleafure in humbling the patri-f
cians, and ftmimoning the confuls» as foon as they had
laid down their office, to appear before the tribunal of the
people. Servilius, as we have obferved above> had lofl a
great number of men in the engagement with the HetrU'?
rians, when he drove them from the Jani<iulum. He had
therefore fcarce laid down the fafces, when a criminal
procefs was commenced againfl him, for pursuing the
enemy too far, and, by that indifcretion. expofijng the
lives of many citizens to unneceffary danger. -.But this
vas oply a pretence for the profecution* The real
crime, both of Servilius and Menenius, was, their omit-
ting to name the decemvirs for tbc: partition of the lands.
Servilius had too much confidence in the goodnefs pf his
caufe, to beg the fenate to intercede for him. He faced
the danger boldly, and without changing either his habit
pi^ CQi^ntepance^ appeared before the affembly of th^ pept?

? t-iy. lib, ii. cap. 51, j%

flCa

7he Roman Hiftory.

pl6, and made fo judicious a defence^ that He was tinani-;
mcHifly acquitted.

In the following year, A. Manlius and L. Furius being
chofen confuU) the former marched againft the Veientes^
who, at his approach, fliut themfelves up in Veil, where
they were fo diftreffed for want of provifions> that they
fued for peace, and obtained of the fenate a forty year's
truce. Manlius, for. this fuccefsful and unbloody expe-
dition, was bonouired with an ovation.

Peace abroad always produced inteftine broils at home.
Thedifputes about the diftribution of the lands were re-
vived by the tribunes } but the confuls, unfhaken by their
clamours and menaces, finiflied their year without having
made any change in the fituation of affairs. They had
no fooner refigned the fafces to L. JBmilius, now the third
time conful, and Vopifcus Junius, than Cn. Genucius^
an enterprifing tribune, cited them to appear before the
people, accttfing them of having negle£ked to name the
commiilioners, with a defign to debar the poor. citizens,
and brave foldiers, of the fliare they had fo well defervcd
in the conquered lands. He exhorted the people to do
themfelves juftice ; reprefenting, that if they inflided an
exemplary punifhment on thofe criminals, they might,
by that vigorous ftep, oblige their fucceflbrs to put in ex-
ecution the Caflian law. Accordingly a day was appoint-
ed for their trial. Thefe violent proceedings greatly
alarmed the fenate, who now perceived, that the tribunes
aim^ equally at their lives and fortunes ; and that they
had formed a defign of deftroying all the fenators. They
therefore had private meetings among themfelves, and re-
vived to refcue Furius and Manlius, if they were con-
demned I as there was no want of hands to be hired for
this purpofe, As for the populace, they triumphed by
anticipation, infolently boafting, that in oppofition to all
the artifices of the fenate, the Caflian law (hould pafs»
and be fealed with the blood of thofo who had oppofed
it ; but the day before the trial of Manlius and Furius,
the faAious tribune Genucius was found dead in his bed,
M^thout any marks on his body of violence or poifon.
He was carried into the forum, and, being expofed to
public view, the common people concluded, that the gods
did not approve of bis enterprize ; but the wifer fort en-
tertained violent fufpicions of the patricians \

Y Dion. Hal. lib? ix» p. 59 ^ ^ 05* Liv, lib. ii« cap. 54. k 2^-
P9r. lib. ii,

They

89

tgs abtaim
a forty
jfidrstrMein

putes aioM$

the difiri^

hfidi*

thefuddin
death of
the trtbung
Geiuuius*

90

ty and im'

prudent bi»
kaviour tf

A fray in
tktforum,

Thi eonfuls

9bitged to
wthdraw.

The RomoM Hiflmj.

The conrols and fenate, finding the tnbitnes confounded
at the unexpe£led death of their coUeagti^, and moi%'%t
the efFe£): it had upon the fupet ftitiDUs minds of the peo-
ple, began to a£b in a very arbitrary manner, tiliagifttng -
they ihould now meet with no oppofition. A$ there wa«
occafion to raife an army, the conilds held their tvibutiaU
as nfuai, in the fertmi ; and there either fined, or oaufed
to be fcourged, cbeife citizens, who did not appear when
they were called to give in their names. Amongft <»cber%
they named F. Volero t6 lift himfelf as a common foldier.
Voleroj though by birth a plebeian, had been formerly
an officer in the army; and, ad he fcad behaved onfall
oeaafions wi^ great valour, expend to be prottioi^
ed, at leaft, to the pod of a cencnrion. He, tbete^^v^
complained of the anjuflice of the eonfuls, and demanded
to be reftored^to his former poft, or to know for what
fault be was degraded. The eonfuls fent a Kdor to fei»e
him ; and, upon his making refiftan^e, ordered hiostoba
iconrged. The li<Stor endeavoured to execute their fen^
lence; but Volero, ftriking him on the face, ciochired,
that he had done nothing which deferved that pttniflt-
anent, and, at the fame time, implored the pn»tecHon of
^e tribunes ; but they, terrified at the death of Genncins,
not daring to appear, he appealed* from the eonfuls ^i<^ the
people, crying out to the multitude, *• Afift me, Ro»
mans \ it is your pratefition I implore : firice our tribunea
would rather fee a citizen of Rome beaten with rods,
tihan run the hazard of dying tn their beds by the ttea->
chcry of the oonftils, jwe have no rcniedy left againft the
tyranny of the eonfuls but force/* At thefe words the
mutinous populace iell upon the li£lbrs, broke their faices,
and drove them out of the forum.

The eonfuls, being furrounded on all fidc&^by the mul-
titude, who prcffed hard upon them, thought it advifeable
to withdraw, and retire to the fenater-h'oufe as a place of
jefuge. On their 'retreat the tribunes, recovering their
Ifirits, infpired the people with ne>v fury, which was no
longer levelied at the patricians in general, but only at the
eonfuls. Thofe magiftrates, in this fudden commotion,
which threw all the city in an uproar, affcmbled the fc^
nate, and complained of the outrages committed by the
people, contrary to the refpefl: due to their dignity. Some
fenators ad^ifed that Volero ihould be thrown down
headlong from the Tarpeian rock ; but the more mode-
rate among them did not think proper to put it to the trial,
whetber the anger of the fenate, gr the fury of the people,

fliouW

The RonmH fft/hrytM . 4g^i

IbouM prevail* ^ The tribunes^ cxoi th^ otber |a^Hdr4^
xnanded juftice. on (be confyls^ fpr comfnanding a Rom^
citizen to be (courged like ^ flave^ 9£t;er be had skpfie^U4
to the people. While the plebeians and the coaCuIs r^
criminated upon one another, Volero, in order to (J&c^^
Imaielf againft the fury of the patricjansi engaged the
people to confer upon him the offi^ of tribune^ vac49t by
tbe death of Genucius^ declarii^gi that, if be \yere iiw
yeStcd wii;h that dignity, he A«ou.ld take fuch ineafure^ af
jihould deliver the people from beU^^- pf^refled by the £9- ^

nalic* The multitude,* charmed w>th tbi« hope* i:eadiiT ' . ; «
granted him &eir votes, and he entered on his of^jc^ aiU-
ter the ele£kion of the ne>y confuUi L. Pinarius aipid P«
Fttcius^. Every one expe£ked, that he wouU jmiif^^*-
lOely b^in a pcofeci;^tion againft tbe laA ycar'^ cc^nftt)$ {
biit Volero fpon dijCcovered, that be had vierw«..f^ fiM^^
ipxtenfive and important to tbe 'intereil; qf hijs party^ than
mere per&nal revei^ge. WitbpHi drc^pping one wnr4 •
^ainft the late m^iftrates, he efiideavoured, to lefien tbi^
autborky of the patricians in general, by depriving tbem
of the influence they had in the eie£Uon of tbe tr|bun^8»
In a general afl^mbly of the people, he propoifed, ^t rohro pr9^
their magiiirates^ 2akd proteidtoj)^. i^aight be chofen fcM* ^e po/esaiaw
ftt^se in the comitia by tribes, and not by curiag. In tbis f'^ eUSing
propofal the fubtle tribune had t^o views, very prejudi- 'f'^7**"v
cial to the patricians. In the firfl; place, the curicB were ^,-^ ^
never aiTembled for ele£l;ions, till the fenate had confent- tribts.
ed to it by a decree* In the fecond place, the patricians,
who commanded the fuffrages off their clients, often got '
inch tribunes elected a« ^ere agreeable to themfelv.es :
but neither of thefe inconveniencies attended the comitia
aflembled by tribes ; for tbe tribunes had the power of af«
iembling them) without the conijpnt of the fenate ; and
ibe country-tribes, whq were not fo devoted to the patri*
cism&as thofe in the city, had a right to vote in thf^m, as
well as the inhabitants of Rome. The plebeian faction
was highly pleafed with this propofal, and wain^ly de-
clared for pafiing it into a law : but tbe.coofuls, the fenatet *
and the whole ordeir of the patricians, oppofed it to the
litmoft of their power; fo that Volero's law bcicame the
common and only fubjefi of difpute between th^ two par*
ties, tbe agrarian law being for fome time entirely drop*
ped. A dreadful plague fufpended, for a few months,
tbil' furious conteft i bi^ it no fopner qeafed, than tb«

t pion, ^9^A\Ai* l^iVf ibid. cap. 45.

tribunes

9»

Applus

CImuiiMS

fifupfy

the patn*

Hans

againfl

VoUro
adds tw9
Htw ar-
ticUs to
kit law*

The Roman Hiftory^

tribunes refumed the profccution of Volero's law. In the
mean time this demagogHe's tribuneihip expiring, the
people continued him in the fame office for the Folfowing
year, notwith (landing the oppofition of the fenate, and
the whole patrician party *.

The patricians, finding the people determined upon
carrying their point, had but one expedient left ; which
was, to fct up againft'Volero a man, who was not to be
terrified by the clamours and menaces of the multitude.
•With this view, they raifed Appius Claudius to the con-
fulate. He was the fon of the famous Appius Claudius^
who had fo often fignalized his hatred to the plebeians,
and no lefs zealous than his father for the intereft of the
fenate, but more obftinate and inflexible. As he thought
himfelf but ill qualified to govern in a time of general com-
liiotioii, he had abfented himfelf from the comitia ; but
the patricians, acquainted with his fteadinefs and intre*
pidity, procured him to be elefted, though abfent, in the
comitia, by centuries, in which they had great intereft.
They joined with him T. Quin£tius, a venerable fenator,
of a fwect temper, who was beloved by the people,
though looked upon as one of the chief leaders of the
other party. The new confuls having convened the fe-
nate, to deliberate on the proper methods to hinder the
publication of Volero's law, Appius> following the dic-
tates of his natural fe verity, declared for raifing an army,
and fending the people to exhauft that martial courage
abroad which rendered them untradable at home. But
Quin£lius was of a contrary opinion : he thought it un-
jim to make war upon nations IJhat had given Kome no
caufe of complaint ; and reprelented to the fenate, that
the people would foon be apprifed of their defign, and
refufe to take arms ; a refufal which would difhonour
the confular authority, and produce a general flame. The
opinion of Quinftius prevailed \ but Appius, who could
not iendure the Icaft contradidipn, lived up6n ill terms
with his colleague all the reft of the year; a circum-
ftance which greatly increafed the afle£iion the people
had already conceived for Quinftius y*

The dinenfion between the confuls, and union of the
tribunes, made Volero believe, that he ihould now get
his law pafled. He had even the confidence to add the
two following articles to it; namely,, that all aflfkirs re-*
lating to the people (hould no longer be brought before

X Dion. Hal. ibid. Liv. lib> ii. cap. 5^.
J^iv. ibid.

r Dion. Hal. U

L

The Reman Hifioryw 93

the curiae, but before the tribes ; and that the sedUeSi as
well as the tribunes, fhould be chofen by them. There
were but four tribes in the city, and feventeen in the
country, whjch laft were not influenced by the nobility ;
fo that, in the coniitla by tribes, the patricians had little
intereft. They therefore exerted their utmoft endeavours
to avoid a blow, which tended direfkly to deftroy the au-
thority of the fenate, and to eftabliih that of the people
upon its ruins. When the fenate met to deliberate upon
thefe extraordinary propofals, Appius was for mtiking a
decree, to invite all thofe who loved their country, to
take arm?, and declaring thofe who refufed to obey the
fummons, enemies to their country ; but Quin£tius, afraid
of feeing Rome become a fcene of blood, thought it ad- • '
vifeable to try whether the people could be brought to
their duty by jgentlenefs and infinuation. The advice of
Claudius was rejected as too violent, and even danger-
ous ; and thfe more moderate counfels of Quin£lius pre-
vailed. The tribunes were defired to convene an aiTem- '^^f coftfui
bly of the people, and to fuffer the confuls peaceably, and ^»«^«'
without interruption, to teprefent to the people the true ^ll^jHf
interefts of the commonwealth ; after which remonftrance, tkepeopUi
they might, in concert, agree, upon fuch meafures as
(hould be moft for the common good of the people and
fenate. The tribunes acquiefced in fo reafonable a pro-
pofaL Quin£tius, when the time came, mounting the
roftra, made fuch an impreffion on the minds of the peo-
ple, by his foft and infinuating eloquence, that Volero's
propofal would have been rejefted, if Appius, when it w^**^/
was his turn to fpeak, had not, by his imperious beha- ^^Jf^*
viour, his threats, and invcftivcs againft the people, and ^ppimf
their tribunes, effaced the impreiBons made by his col-
league.

Caius Le£):orius, who was efteemed one of the braveft
foldiers in the republic, and had, for that reafon, been
raifed to the tribunefliip, when the domeftic broils were
like to end in a civil war, anfwered the confuls j but,
without taking any notice of Quinftius's arguments, in-
filled only on the invedlives of Appius, which he re-
torted, and concluded thus : " But to what purpofe do ^he bold
we fight with words againft a wild beaft ? The fword is ^^f'^^-^
the proper weapon to be ufed in fuch engagements : the ^i^Q^^il^^
fword, perhaps, may make you fenfible, that the Roman
people are not fb defpicable as ^ou think them. In the
mean time, you fhall experience the authority of thofe
tribunes who are the objects of your contempt, but whom

the

^ ' The RmoH tft/loiy,

Ac law hai maie your judges.^ Upon this declaratidltji
there was a profound filence ; and Le&oriuS) raifing bis
eyes and han^s to heaven, fwore by all that warfacred^
that be would either get Volero's law pafled^ or perifli in
He orJirs the attempt. Then^ after haying kept the people feme
jppius to time in fufpenfc, turning to Appius^ ** I command you,
^r'^Jl^^ faid he, to leave the affembly." Appius dcfpifcd his or-
miTtobe ^^^f ^"^ ^^^^ '*™» ^*^*^» though a tribune, he was but a
iiJ topri* private man ; and that his whole power confijfled in form-
fiM^ ing ah oppofitton to fuch decrees of the fenate as were

prejudicial to the plebeians.' Then calling about him his
friends, clients, and relations, who were very numerous,
he prepared to oppofe force with forcCi. The tribune,
'having conferred haftily with his colleague, commanded
one of his officers to feize Appius, and .carry him to
^fi^ffl* prifon. Hereupon a fcuffle enfued between the lidors of
enjues. ^j^^ conful and the officers of the tribune. The fenators,
the patricians, and the clients who attended Appius,
placed him in the midft of them, and repulfed Ledorius,
who advanced in perfon to affift his officers. Nothing
was heard but confufed cries< proceeding from mutual
anhnofity. From reproaches they came to blows ; but as
arms were forbidden in the city, little blood was fpilt in-
the fray. Quiii£iius^ attended by feme venerable fena*
tors, threw himfelf into the midft of the contendiftg par-
ties ; and having found means to convey Appius out of
the tumult, appeafed the tribunes, and put an end to the
difpute ». •

^fkfpeoph Next morning, the pebple, excited by their tribunes,
fintton ^^^ efpecially by Le^^orius, who had been wounded the
^* Ctf/»- j^y bdFore, ieized on the Capitol, which they fortified,
.and feemed refolved to begin hoftilities. The fenate bet-
ing afiembled to deliberate on means to quiet the fedition,
QuinAius was for yielding fomething in favour of the
people ; whereas Appius could by no means be brought
to make them the leaft conceflk>n. During this difagree-
ment, which lafted feveral days, Quin£l:rus, having often
conferred with the tribunt^s, gainea their confent to refer
both their private and public complaints to the fenate,
and fubmit^to the determination of the confcript fathers*
He then convened the fenators, and after having ac-
quainted them with the good difpofition of the tribunes,
got a decree pafied, importing, ^^ That as the fcufBe^
which bad happened a few days before, was not premedi*

2 Dion Hal. 5e Liv. ibid.

tated,

The Romd Bflory. 05

tetedy biit the effedl of a fudden commotion, ariiing on
both fides from a miftaken zeal for the republic, all inju-
ries committed and received on that occafion (houid be
buried intm eternal oblivion*'*. As to the law in queftion,
Cnce Appius would by no means fu£Fer it to be propofed
to the aflemUy of the people, without a previous decred
of the fenate, it was agreed, that it fhould be referred to
the fesate, and that a decree ihould be made for that pur^
pofe. The affair was therefore difputed with great
warmth, Appius calling both gods and men to witnefs,
that the republic was betrayed, and that the fenate wer^
going to fubmit to a law more detrimental to their autho«*
rity than thofe which had been formed on the Sacred
Mount i but Qtiin£tiu$ prevailed upon the fenate to yield Fblero*f
to the people, and allow them to propofe the law in thetr law ^^##
afTembly, where it paffed, and was unanimoufly received
with great applaufe. From this period, therefore, the
tribunes were raade> and almofl every thing relating to
the people determined, not in the comitia by ^ curiae, but
by tribes ».

i^ot long after this law was pafTed, the confuls were y^. ^f «
obliged to take the field. Quin^ius parched agaihft the jSjq^
iEqui^ and Appius advanced againfl the Volfci. The Ante CUr.
former was fo much eftecmed and loved by his army, that 4^9'
the enemy, afraid to appear againft troops fo well affedled . *^^*

to their general, fhut themfelves up in their cities, or lay ^p^^TZitk
concealed in the forefts. The conful, having laid wafle m, j^qui
their country, returned with a great booty to Rome, MidFolfcL
where he was received with loud acclamations, and called
the Father of his Soldiers, yrhile Appius was llyled by
his men, the Tyrant of the Army ; and indeed never wa$
^n army governed with jnore feverity, or difcipline ex-
acted with more rigour. As his rage againft the people
was no longer under any rcftraint from the tribunes, he
entirely gave way to it \ the confcquence of which was,
that all the centurions and foldiers murmured at their ge»
oeral's ofders, and even entered into a confpiracy, not
againfl his life, but his glory ; for they refblved, by agree- •
mcnt, not to oppofc the enemy, left their general fhould
receive the honours of a triumph **.

The Volfci, being informed of all that pafled in the ^
Roman camp, challenged the Romans to an engagementu
Appius marched againft them ; but he was no fooner
within reach of the enemy,, than his men threw away

> Dion. Hal. ibid. Llv. lib. ii. cap. 57. ^ Dion. Hal. p. 605,
6o6. Liv. ibid» cap. 59.

their

96

Appius^t
troops rt'
fufi to fight.

Hepwni/his
tkim with
ike utmofl
fnteritj.

4&fpmti of
thiogra'
rian iaw
rtvvvid*

The Roman Hiftory.

their armsy aiid, with one confent, returned to the cafriff*
The Volfci took advantage of this confufion^ and, having
cut to pieces thofe who were in the rear, attacked the
•entrenchments ; but the Romans, fearing the enemjr
might break into the camp, made a brave refiftance, and
repulfed the Volfci. The rafh conful would have led them
again to the enemy next day ; but they loudly demanded
of their o£Bcers to condu£b them out, of the enemy's
country; and forced ^ Appi us to comply with their de*'
mand. As fcon as the incenfed conful entered the Ro-
man territory, where he was out of the reach of the ene-
my, he fummoned his foldiers to aflemble* Being feated
on his tribunal, he firft upbraided them with their dif-
obedience and treachery ; and then, giving a loofe to his
refentment, he commanded the heads of ^he centurions,
and other oi&cers, who had abandoned their pofts, to be
ftruck off in his prefcnce. Thofe who had borne thfe
enfigns, and delivered them to the enemy, he caufed to
be beaten to death with rods; and the common foldiers
were decimated. As the time of the comitia for the elec-
tion of new confuls drew near, he led back to Rome the
remains of his army, where he was received with the re-
proaches and execrations of the multitude *.

The confuls chofen to fucceed Quindius and Appius
were L. Valerius, a fecond time, and Tib. ^milius.
When they, had entered . upon their office, the tribunes
revived the difputa concerning the partition of the lands.
Both the confuls were difpofed to favour the people;
^milius, from revenge to the fenate, for having refufed
his father the honours of a triumph, when he returned
from a fuccefsful war againft the .£qui ; and Valerius, to
gain the good-will of the people, whofe hatre4 he had
drawn upon himfelf by profecuting Caffius during his
quaeftorfliip. As the confuls, by a decree of the fenate
pail'ed in the confulate of Virginius and CafTius, were em-
powered to nominate the decemvirs, in order to make a
new diftribution of the conquered lands, the tribunes,
being fecure of the prefent confuls, brought the affair
before the fenate, where it occafioned long debates.
TEmilius, the conful's father, who fpoke firft, propofed
|hat the decemvirs ihould be named by the confuls, in
prder to procedd to the divifioii of the conquered lands ;
which, faid he, being public and common, ought to be
for the equal benefit of all. But Appius oppofed the

c Dion, Hal. ibid* Liv* lib.ii. cap. 59*

opmion

The Romati ti0Qry. 97 ,

opinion o^ ^milius with fo much warmth, and ftreiigth
of rcafon, that the fenate rejcflied the propofal of the tri-
bunes, though fupported by both the confuls. The tri-
banes, enraged at their, difappointmcnt, refolved to deftroy
fo violent an adverfary ; and cited him before the peo-
ple, as a declared cViemy to the public liberty. Appius, Appm cit^
without changing his habit, as was ufual on fuch occa- ^^ before
lions, or even fuflfering his friends to folicit the multi- ^'^*P*^r^*
tude in his behalf, on the day of the affembly appeared
in the midft of his accufers with the fame dignity as if
he had been their judge* His accufation implied: ift. Heads of
That He had inflamed the fenate aeainft the people. ^\i ^ccujom
adly. That he had raifcd feditiohs in the republic. 3dly, "•*•
That he had caufed a tribune to be ftruck, though the
laws declared his pfeffon facred and inviolable. 4thly,
That he had funk the courage of his foldiers by his feve-
rity, and fuffered himfelf to be overcome by the Vplfci.
But he anfwered thefe feveral articles with fo much
(irength of reafon, that the people durft not condemn
him. The tribunes, who were determined upbn his de-
ftruSion, fearing he would be acquitted, put off giving
fentence to another day, under pretence that they ftould
not have time to coUefl: the fuffrages. Appius, plain-
ly forefeeing that he fhould fall a vi£lim to the implaca-
ble hatred of thofe magiftrates, prevented the difgrace of
a condemnation by laying violent hands on himfelf. The ^f ^^^
tribunes endeavoured in vain to deprive him of fuch '^^^J^v"
funeral honours as his merit and rank in the republic de»
ferved : his fon obtained leave of the confuls to aflem*
ble the people, and mak^, according to cuftom, his fu-
neral oration ; which the people heard with pleafure,
ihewing him more regard after his death, than thoy had
ever expreflTed for him in his life-time **.

Upon the death of Appius, the tribunes refumed the
bufinefs of the agnlrian law, which his profecution had
only fufpended ; but as they could not prevail upon the
next confuls, T. Numitius Prifcus, and A. Virginius, to
name the decemvirs, the people, at their inftigation, re-
fufed to appear at the elcftion of the confuls for the next
year, as if they intended to feparate themfelves once
more from the body of the republic. However, the pa-
tricians, with their clients, raifed to the confulate T.
Quinftius a fecond time, and Q. Servilius, who, to pre-
vent the breach from growing wider, employed the people

^ Dion. Hal. p. 606, ^15. Li v. lib. ii. cup. 6|«

VOL.X. H aU

98.

bintSi the
jSquit and
the yolfci
defeated.

Fablus
find* out an
expedient

to flop the
complaints '
of the feo^
fie.

^ht JEqui
fubdued.

%bi Romn Hiftcty.

all that year in foreign wars. Servilias had great fttc-*
cefs againft the Sabiaes, and Quin£lius gained a com-
plete vidory over the united forces of the ^qui and
Volfcii which was followed by the fiege and furrender o£
the city of Antium. On his return to Rome» he was
honoured with a triumph, and attended both by the fe-
nate and people, in his proceflion to the Capitol ^

The domeftic diflcnfions were renewed in the follow-
ing confulate of T. ^milius a fecond time, and Q^Fa-
bius, fon of one of the three brothers who periihed in the
battle of Cremera. ^milius, who had favoured the peo*
pie in his firfl confulate, renewed his endeavoiirs to get
the Caflian law executed ; and great difturbances enfuing,
Fabius difcovered an expedient to appeafe the people and
patricians. He propofed to fend a eolony to people that
pleafant and fruitful canton of the Volfci, which Quinc-
tius had juR conquered. His motion was received with
great applaufe by the meaner fort of people ; and three
fenators, namely, T. Quindius the conful, A. Virginius,
and P. Furius, were appointed to make the diftribution
of the lands : but when the plebeians were fummoned to
givcxin their names to thofe triumvirs, few of them ap-
peared ; nay, they began to change their flyle, and com-
plain of the ,fenate, who, they faid, were fending brave
men out of the country, becaufe they oppofed their op-
pref&ve condudl : the greater part, therefore, chofe ra-
ther to ftay at Rome, than leave it to take pofTefiion of
the lands, for which they had raifed fo many difturbances.
The games, the (hews, the public aflemblies, the hurry
of bufinefs, and the (hare they had in the government,
contributed to attach them to their old abode ; and, not-
with (landing their poverty, made them look upon a co-
lony as an honourable banifhmjcnt. The triumvirs, find-
ing the people unwilling to quit Rome, were forced to ad-
mit of ftrangers to make up the number appointed for the
•olony. However, one advantage accrued from the re-
fufa] of the people, which was, that thofe who would not
give in their names, were ever after afhamed to interfere
in- the affair of the partition of the lands ^

Rome now enjoying profound tranquility, Fabius took
the field againft the Aqui, and obliged them to fue for
peace ; which was granted, on condition of their being
fubjeft to the republic. However, in the following con-
fulate of Sp. Pofthumius, and Q^Servilius, now a fecond

e Li v. ibid. c^p. 6^.
lib. ill. cap. I*

^ Dion. Halic.p.6i5, 6a6. Liv.

time

i

The Roman Hi/fifijfk ^g

titnecotiful, they began to ftir again; and nest year, butrevolt,
'whenT. Quinftius a third time, and Q^Fabius a fecond andiiftat
time, were confuls, they renewed the war, and con- ^^'^*-/f' ■
tinned it under the confuls A. Pofthumius and Sp. Fu- ^P*^^^*^^*
rius. The latter, who was but a very indifibrent com*
xnander, having raihly engaged the enemy, was defeat* .
ed, and fo clofely befieged in his camp, that not a man
could go out to give notice at Rome of his danger.
However, the fenate received advice of it ; and refolvcd
upon an expedient never ufed but in great extremity,
which was, to give up the government abfolutely into the
conful's hands, by thefe words: *^ Videat conful, ne quid .
refpublica detrimenta capiat : Let the conful take care
that the republic fuffer no detriment.'* Pofthumius, who
received this commiiTion, impreffed all who were able to
bear arms, and gave T. Quindius the command of the
army, with the title of proconful. As foon as Quin£liu3
came within fight of the inveftedcamp, the ^qui retired ;
but Furius had before made a fally, in which his brother,

\ L. Furius, and two cohorts, had been furroanded by the
enemy and cut in pieces. The conful nowafted upon the
offenCive, and obliged the enemy to retire into their own ^jf^us
country. Pofthumius attacked a body of their freebootersf jf^^'? r«
loaded with fpoil, and made great flaughter of them, fi^^j^
By thefe fucceflcs Rome was reftored to its former tran- /Aw> oivu
quillity. ^^y»

In the following confulate of P. Servilius Prifcus and A dreadful
^butius Elva, a plague broke out in Rome, and fwept P^B.^^ ^
away almoft all the youth 'who were able to bear arms, **'
the fourth part of the fenators, the greateft part of the tri» ..
bunes, and both the confuls. Upon the news of fo ge-
neral a mortality among the Romans, the JEqui and Vol-
fci renewed their defign of deftroying the haughty repub-

. lie They began the campaign with committing hoftili-
ties in the territories of the Latins and Hernici, who im-f
mediately applied to the Roman fenate for fuccours ; but
all the Romans could do was to give leave to their allies
to arm and defend themfelves, and to promife them affift-
ance in better times. In confequence of this anfwer the
Latins (hut- themfelves up in their cities, leaving jheir
country open to the ravages of the enemy. The Hernici .
took the field, and ventured an engagement, in which'
they loft a great many men, and were on that account,
though the fuccefs ot the battle was pretty equal, forced
to confine themfelves to their cities : fo that the ^qui
and Volfcij having now no enemy to oppofc them in the

Hz field.

JoO

appear ht'
firs R99i.

Dijfreffed
€onditton of
Ike Ro-
manL

fhi /Equi
and t^pjfd
ftrtirely de-
feated.

' Tie Rtrnm Hjftdry.

field, entered the Roman territory, and appeared uner-
peftcdly before Rome. The two confuls being dead, and
the few tribunes who were ftill alive, unable, on account
of their bad ftatc of health, to aflift the republic cither
with their hands or their advice, the ^ediles took upon
them to maintain the dignity, and perform the funiiions
of the confuls. Notwithftanding fo many calamities, the
Romans feemed to have loft nothing of their ancient ftea-
dinefs They crept to the ramparts, and appeared de-
termined to defend themfelves to the laft extremity.

The fenators themfelves mounted guard, and ftood cen-
tinels. The city being well fortified on all fides, the JEqui
and Volfci, more expert at plundering than carrying on a
fiege, laid afide all thoughts of making themfelves mafters
of Rome, and marched towards Tufculum. In the mean
time the plague continued to rage in the city. The dead
were fo numerous, rtiat they were thrown into the Tiber
without burial : fo that the calamity becoming now
greater than ever, the people turned their thoughts en-
tirely to divinfe aflSftance ; all made their vows upon the
altars, and the matrons fwept the temples with their hair,
and continued proftrate in the prefcnce of the gods, till,
stt. length, a more wholefome fcafon put an end to the
diftcmper, and delivered Rome from a calamity which
threatened her with utter dcftruftion. Several patricians
had governed one after another during the ' interregnum,
which had lafted from the death of the confuls ; and now
Valerius Poplicola, being interrex, aflembled the centu-
ries for the eleftion of new magiftrates, when Lucretius
Tricipitinus and T. Veturius Geminus, were chofen con-*
fuls. In the beginning of their cdnfulate, the tribunes,
forgetting the miferies the city had fufFered, undertook to
fenew the difpute about the divifion of the lands j but the
people turned all their thoughts upon revenging the infiilts
Rome had received from the iEqui and Volfci in the courfe
of the preceding year. Even thofe citizens whom the
laws exempted from going to war, inlifted themfelves for
the fervice ; fo-that two confular armies were immediately
raifed. It fell to the lot of Lucretius to march againft the
^qui and Volfci, who had united their forces; andthcfc
enemies were overthrown in a pitched battle, with the
lofs of both their generals, and of thirteen thottfand four
hundred and fixty men ; the moft dreadful defeat they
had ever received.

s Dion. HsrI. p. 616. Liv, lib, i* cajp. 4-*S,

^ While

The Roman Hiftory. loi

While the two confuls were thus employed In the field, Yr. of Fl^
a tribune of the people, named C. Terenti us Arfa, took a'^*!*.
the opportunity of their abfence to weaken the confular ^^^i
authority, exclaiming againft the exorbitant power of y. C. 187,

the conluls ; demanding that bounds might be fet to it — — .'

with regard to public afiairs ; and that invariable laws ^ffenfiui
mi^ht be eftabliflied for the qonfuls to be governed by, in '^^f^ ^'^'
deciding the contefts that arofe between man and man. He ^J^^/Ls'
urged with great vehemence, that the confuls had all the de- mfm of
fjpotic power of kings, and only wanted the name ; and fixtd^Uixju
demanded, that a choice flipuld be made of five of the beft /
men in the republic, who fhould be authorifed to reftrain,
within due bound$, a power fo exceihve ; fo that the
confuls, for the future, might have no other aucbority
over their fellow-citizens, than what thofe very citizens
Ihould think fit to entruft them with. The fenators were
all furprifed at fuch bold prppofals. Q^Fabius, who then
governed the city in the abfence of the confuls, immedi-
ately difpatched meflengers, acquainting them with what
bad happened, and conjuring them to haftep back to
Romel He then convened the fen ate ; and, after Having
enumerated the fatal confequences of fuch an innovationr^
prevaile4 upon the tribunes to defift from feconding Te*
];entius in his firft detpand concerning the Itmitatioii of
the confular power ; but, as for the fecond, they ftillper-
fifted in de«ianding a choice to be made, from among the
fenators iand plebeian^ of proper perfons to form a body ' *

©f laws for determining fuits among the citizens. How- ,. ^
ever, overcome by the intreaties of Fabius, they confented
to fufpend the prpfecution of this afllair till the arrival of
the confuls.

Thus the city continued fome time quiet 5 for the tri-
hunes did not fo much as mention the Terentian htw^
till the new confuls, P. Vblumnius and S. Sulpitius were
ehofen ; and then the whole college renewed their efforts
to get the law paiTed. The people were often afiembled
to hear the harangues of the tribunes on this fubjef^, and
theTenate as often convened to concert meafiires to op*
pofe their defigns. The fadions, and blind zeal on both
fides, increafed to fuch a degree, that there was jiift rea- Oreatjtn^
fon to apprehend a civil war. The alarms which thefe J^^J"
diflenfions gave, were increafed by the dread which fome .
pretended prodigies occafioned in the city; At the fanae
time the Hernici, who were in alliance with Rome, gave
notice to the fenate, that the iEqui and Volfci were
(ecjcedy arming ; a^d tliat the new colony of Antium had

H 3 ' entered

102 7he Roman Hijlory:

^ etitered !nto that confederacy. This intcnigcnce'''autho-

rifcd the confuls to r^ife an army of citizens, as ufual,
whofc abfence would leffen the ftrength of the tribunes;
but thefe magiftrates of the people, pretending that this
war was nothing but an artifice of the fenate to fend the
" citizens out of Rome, oppofed the levies, and revived the

demand of Terentius for compiling a body of laws. The
conteft ran high, and occafion^d great diilurbances. The
confuls having caufed a plebeian to be arrefted, becaufe he
r'efufed to give in his name, the tribunes refcued him
from the liftors, and fet him at liberty.

On the other hand the young patricians made great dit
turbances ift the comitia, difperfcd the |ieople by violence,
and, with their clamours, hindered the reading of the
law, which was drawn up in thefe words : ** Let the peo-
ple, in lawful comitia, eieft ten men of a mature age,
confummat€ wifdom, and unfpotted reputation^ to draw
up a body of laws, as well for the public adminiftratioQ
as for the determination of private affairs : let thefe laws
be fixed up in the forum ; and let the annual magiftrate,
as well as other judges, be obliged to conform to ^hem,
in their dccifions of the controverfies which may arife in
Rome." At length the tribunes gained their point of
having this law propofed to the people ; but when tbe day
came for the comitia, by tribes, to determine the afiairj
Tht coH^ the young fenators and patricians, having Quio&ius C«fo,
i'*1/« ^^ ^°^ Quin£tius Cincinnatus at their head, niflied
conuUi 5nto the croud, overturned all who oppofed them, and
kiomfs. difperfed the afiembly. Cxfo was a young man, tall,
well-fhaped, of an extraordinary ftrength of body, and
had fignalized himfelf, by aftions of unconimon bravery,
in fever al battles. His eloquence was not inferior to his
ftrength and valour ; for no patrician was heard with
greater applaufe, or fpoke with more dignity. He was
always the firft to anfwer the feditious harangues of the
tribunes with great freedom,

. Thefe magiftrates, therefore, enraged to meet with fo

much oppofitlon from one man, confpircd his ruin ; and

having agreed among themfelves upon articles of impeach-

* ment, Virginius, the moft zealous of the tribunes, caufed

him to be fummoned before the affcmbly of the people.

Stuin§iu$ This affront rendered Cxfo more violent in his oppofition

Ca^j cited ^ to the Terentian law J he reviled the plebeians, and in-

bejore the weighed with great bitternefs againft the tribunes. In the

^^^r • • , mean time Virginius ftill went on propofing the law, not

fo much outx}f any hopes that it would be received^ as

to

S'he JRoman Hjftory. jog

to mcreafe the fury of Caefo, and render bim, bjr his vio-
lent and rafii behaviour, more odious to the multitude.
Accordingly the inconfiderate youth, ftipported ' by the
fenate^ who flattered his vanity with their applaufe, fup-
plied tke tribunes with freih matter of complaint, and
ws4;ed# as it were, open war with t*hem and their party.
At length the day came, which was appointed for his His mean
trial, m4 d»cn his couhige fajled him. He did not imi- ^**' v»»r
tate jthe conftancy of Coriohnus, but condcfcended to '" ^^^ ^"^^^
mean iatreaties, and endeavoured to fave his life by low
.and. unworthy folicitations. He put on mourning, and,
with a face of forrow and humiliation, went about beg-
ging the favour of the loweft plebeians. The tribune Vir-
ginias opened his accufation ; enumerated the violences
which had been committed by the voung patrician, and
produced thofe to be witnefles again(i him whom he had
perfonally infuked ; but the chief crime laid to his charge,
was his having hindered, by violence, the meeting of
fome judicial alembiies, legally called. The articles bet-
ing exhibited, the accufed was called upon to plead ; but
Caefo refufed to own the jurifdidtion of the aflembly,
ofiering, at the fame time, to fubmit to the judgment of
the confuls, his only lawful judges.

. This refufal incenfedthe people yet more againft him ; Wsfather^
io that his father, L. Quin£l;ius Cincinnatus, a man highly Z. ^«mc-
iefteemed and refpe£led by the republic, was obliged to ^'f' ^''*'
lindertake his defence. He denied the capital points in ^J^jf^/^i^,
the charge ; and, as to hafty words or blows, he excufed ^^j deftncf.
them as the indifcretions of youth, which rather deferved St*vtral
pity than jefentment. Then T. Quin£tius Capitolinus, perfons of
who had been thrice conful, Sp. Furius, and JLucrctius, ^^fi^fi
all appeared to witnefs his bravery in feveral engagements, T^^^ ^^^^^
and his other good qualities. The teiHmonies of fo hthalf.
many illuftrious men, and the intreaties of the father,
made a fenfible imprefiion on the multitude: but Vjrgi-
nius, wfio was bent^ upon Csefo's deilrudlion, fruft rated
the hopes of the patricians.

He rofe up, and, addreffing himfelf to QuindJius Cin- speech pf
cinilatus, " The public (faid he) does juftice to your vir- the tribune
tues, and the afFeftion you have for the people ; but, alas ! ^'^JW'«J»
how different is your (on from you ! His proud temper,
and tyrannical condu£):, make him unworthy of pardoq.
The education he has received under the eye of a modcft
and popular father, has not been able to abate his pride.
Romans, what have you to expe£): from him for the future ?
^hat a pernicious example hath he given to the youth

H 4 who

104 ''^^ Roman Hifioty.

wlio follow and admire him ? If yoa, Qjriii£Uas, irere
ignorant of it before^ yet, being toniay better informed
of it, you ought to join your indignation to our'a. If you
were acquainted wiih hb oonduS, and . did not camOt
tiim, you are not worthy of the fiivour you aflu - Bat
what am I faying ? Your foa'a tran^)orts ware certunly
concealed from you; nor have you had any iiare in his
attempts upon the authority of the Ronaan peo)iie, Mo^
Quindius ; you are not to be blamed for any thing hm
hemg a better father than a commonwealtfaVman ;* but,
in order to efface in your heart tfaofe remains ii tenderaefe
which the people ihare with y6u^ I beg that my ocrikagae,
M. Volfcius, may be heard in what he has to ofer^ by
way of private complaint, againft your fon. I hope the
people will not leave unrevenged one of thdr own magiA
Irates, who has been fo great a fafferer by him.'^ Tbctt
Volfcius, afcending the roftra, to wEi the part that had
r^A . been concerted between them, fpoke to this «ffe£t. ** fie*

J^j «r- turning one night with my -broker, fviun a fiteod^s .hxnfe,
cu/eti of where we had fupped, we metf hard«>by the public ftcws^
murder^ Caefo, accompanied, according to his cttftom, by fewersd
young patricians of the fame chara&er with iiimfelf, wh0|
I fuppofe, had been making a debauch together m
tbofe infamous honfes. They at £rft attacked us with
abufi ve language, which I, indeed, was for taJtisig jio no*
tice of; but my brother, lefs patient th^i tnyfelf,i retorced
their abufe. Then Caefo, full of anger and refentment,
fell upon him, and, notwithstanding my prayers and iri«
treaties, fo beat and bruifed him, that he expired upon
the fpot. This incident happened the yearjthe plague
made fuck havock among us. I defigned to icaxry my
complaints to the confuls, but death deprived us of tl»em
foon after. L. Lucretius and T. Veturius, their fuccef*
fors, took the field in a hurry, and Caefo followed them.
At their return I prepared to bring my a£lion^ but Csefo^
hearing of my defign, waited for me one night in a .bye*
place, and, falling upon me, repeated his blows to fuch«
degree, that, to avoid my brother's fate, I was forced \(^
promife never to mention the outrages we had both
fuftained.
O/tf in The people were fo exafperated at this fidion, that^i

great dan- without examining into the truth of the fad, they were
gerfrom ready to tear young Caefo in pieces \ but Virginius, to
the piople» gj^g fome appearance of jufticc to hie villainous profecu*
tion, interpofed ; and moved, that Caefo &ouKi be fe-
cured and imprifoned, till his crime could he fully proved,

fnicc

Th Roman H^ory.

Bncc Volfcius had not* his witnefles at hand. This mo-
tion dccafioned great debates, T. QuinSius reprefenting
to the aflembly, that it was a thing unheard-of in the re-
poblic, that, upon a bare accufetion, a citizen (hould be
arrefted, and carried to gaol ; while Virginius maintain-
ed, that this precaution was neceflary to prevent fupti
an offender from efcaping the juftice of the people. Afi-
tcr the queftion had been long debated, with great warmA
on both fides, the tribunes took a middle way betwecjo
Virgin! os's pretenfions and thofe of the contrary party j
which was, that Csefo (hould be fet at liberty, provided
he gave fccurity for his appearance before the people oa
the day appointed. This refolution raiffd a new debate
nbottt ihc fum, in which the fecurities were to.be bounds
but the fenate at laft fixed the fum to three thoufand afe«
of brafs, that is, about nine pounds thirteen fliillings ai^
tune pence of our money ; and left it to the tribunes to
declare how many citizens fliould be fecurity, in cafe of
his cfcape. They were content with ten fecurities, who
bound themfelves to produce C'aefo on the day he was to
be tried, or to pay the fine. This is the firft time we
read of bail given for appearance in public aud capital
cafes. Caefo was no fooner at liberty than he left Rome,
and retired into Hetruria ; but the tribunes knew nothing
of his «fcape till he was again cited to appear, when his
friends endeavoured to prove to the people, that he had
executed juftice on himfelf, and anticipated their fentencc
of banifliment, by going into voluntary exile. The tri-
bunes, feeing plainly'that this was only an evafion to avoid
the payment of the fine, exafted it with njorc rigour : fo
thatOuintftius, the father of Caefo, haviog fold the bed
part o?lii« cftate on that account, was forced to retire to
a poor cottage* on the other fide the Tiber, where he cul-
tivated, with his own hands, five or fix acres of land,
which were all he had left for his fubfiftence K

The tribunes, 'belieying that the banifliment of Caefo
would'keep the young patricians in awe, called an afferar
bly oif the people, in order to propofe the Terentiau law,
and get it approved by the tribes ; but it was no fooner
mentioned, than there fprang up, as it were, a thoufand
Caefos, all oppofing it with the fame intrepidity. TUe
tribunes ordered all the patricians to be driven from the
aflembly ; but the nobility, uniting more clofely after the
profecution 6f* Caefo, oppofed force by force ; and, b?iug

105

tires into
baniJhmenU

The patri-
cians con-
tinme their
eppqfition t9
the Teren*
tiam law.

^ Dion. Hah lib; X. p. (Ii7"^$34f

Liv* lib. iiif cap. 9— '14.

attended

'%t6 ^he Roman JfTt/bry.

attended by a great number of their clients, made tSfr
tribunes feel the evil confequences of the fcdition thcf
had begun. The people were difperfed, and the tribunes
obliged to fave themfelves by taking refuge in their own
houfes. Thus the law was hindered from pafling at this
jun£kure. The following year the fenate and patricians,
in conjunction, raifed to the confulate Caius Claudius,
brother to Appius Claudius, who had killed himfelf, and
P. Valerius a fecond time. The tribunes, feeing the
Xvhole body of the nobility united againft them, and de-
fpairing to carry their point by a fair, open conteft, com-
bined together to deftroy at once the better part of the
fenate, and fuch of the patricians as were mod averfe to
their defigns. tn the firft place they circulated reports
among the people, that the patricians had in agitation
fome defign fatal to the liberty of the public Then, in
order to prepoflefs the people with diftruit of the nobility,
they had recourfe to the following contrivance.
netrt* While the tribunes were fitting ort their tribunal,, a

^^*s ftranger came ; and, having, in the fight of all the. people,

^^h^^f P*^^ *"^^ ^^^^ hands a letter, difappeared in an inftant,
^tin^itan ^"^ ^^* never afterwards fecn. The tribunes read the
formed l^^ letter to themfelves; and, in reading it, affiled an air
ihepatrt" of terror and furprize, in order to excite the curiofity oJF
€ians^ tli^ people, and make thefai more uncafvi Then, rifiog

from their feats, and caufing f|l^nce to be proclaimed by
the crier, Virginius, with looks full of conftprnation, ad-r
drcffitjg himfclf to the affembly : " Romans, (faid he),
you are threatened with the greaicft dangers. If the
gods, who are the proteftors of innocfiic^, had not dit
covered , the wicked defigns of 'your enemies, you had
been all loft. But you muft giyc i»s leave to acquaint the
fenate with the affair before it be divulged." Virginius
having tfius alarmed the multitude,, repaired yi^h his col-
leagues to the confuljs,. and the fenate being immediately
affemhled, the tribiihes were admitted. In the mean
time, their emiffaries fpread a , thoufand falfe reports
^mong the people about the contents of the letter. Some
. faid, that Caefo was advancing towards Rome, at the head
of an army of Voffci j others affirmed that the patricians
had confpired to call him ba/ck, and, with his affiftancc,
to deftroy the tribunate ; a third fet confined the enter-
prize to tht young patricians ; and maintained, that C«-
fo was ftill in Rome, and would foon appear at the head
of a numerous body, compofed of patricians and thei^

The 'Roman Hiftoty. toy

cKents : thus the people's prejudices were kept up, and
their hatred to the patricians artfully fbmente^.

The tribunes being admitted into the fcnate, Virgintus
addrefled hinifelf to the confuls and fenators, in the fol-
lowing words : ** Our difcretion, confcript fathers, made yirgimmfi
us keep (ilence» while the misfortunes with which we are /p^^ch /•
now threatened, were' yet uncertain. To a6l upon bare '^'A*«*»
conjectures againft feditious men not yet difcovered, is
often giving a handle to fa£kious fpirits to raife infurrec-
tions : however, we have not been inadivc upon our firft
fufpicions; and our private enquiries have been efie£tuaL
We have been faithfully ferved by thofc foreigners, with
whom we live in hofpitality and friendfliip. Their letters
•will convince you, that the gods watch over the republic
for Its prcfervation- The fymptoms we find at home agree
with the accounts we receive from abroad. Rome is be-
trayed. Some of the moft illuftrioua families in this city,
and fome even of the fenate itfelf, are turned confpirators,
and have fwom her deftruflion. Among the Roman
knights there are aiTaflins, ready to murder us. They
wait only for the opp6rtunity of a dark night to break in-
t6 our houfes, and maflacre us, and all thofe among tb^
people who (hew any zeal for the public liberty. They
take it for granted, that, after this barbarous execution,
they (hall eafily obtain of you the abolition of the tribu-*
natc. Caefo, that Caefo whom they refcued from its juft
punUhment, is the inftrumcnt of their fury. He is to
appear within the walls, attended by numerous troops of
^qui and Volfci, who are to be brought hither privately^
and in fmall parties. The tribunes are to fall the firft
vidims to his refentment ', and fuch of the people as (hall
dare to make any fefiftance^ are to be Sacrificed without
mercy* Thefe are our dangers ; this is the crime of you
patricians. What then is to be done ? Ye immortal
gods, who unite us in the fame religious wor(hip, infpire
the fenate with fentiments of equity ; efface from their
minds all regafd to rank, birth, and party-intereft ! We
conjure you, confcript fathers, not to abandon us to the ^
rage of thefe affaOins. In order to prevent their evil de-
figns, we hope, you will not refufe a decree, impowering
us to make farther enquiries into this confpiracy, ahd to
fecure the chief authors of it. Thofe who are moft in
danger, are moft nearly concerned to avoid it, and will be
moft a£tive in making difcoveries. Time preiTes, and our
aiTaflins are at the gates. The leaft delay were dangerous^
Who knows but this very night may be pitched upon foe

the

lo8 The Roman Hifiory.

il\t eyeeution of the bloody defign ? They muft be con«
fpirators tbemfelTeS} who are againft enquiring into the
. €onfpiracy."
• The demand of the tribunes much embarafied the fenate :
the more timorous were apprehenfive, that a refufal would
irritate the people^ and raife a fedition ; but thofe who
had more firmnefs^of mind, reprefented how dangerous
k was to give the tribunes an unbounded power in an af-
fair of a capital nature. The confiil Claudius immediate-
ly penetrated their deCgn, and explained the whole drift
of their projeft. ** This is the fcheme of the tribunes.
Speak, Virginius, (faid he), tell us, whence came thefe
fetters, which have fo much alarmed you? Who arc
thofe guefts, and thofe faithful allies ? How came they ■
acquainted with the misfortunes which threaten you?
Where is the bearer of this foul accufation i Why has
be difappeared ? Let us know who are the fenators and
knights named in the letter you produce. Surely we have
time to hear the names of thofe great criminals. Sbail
we wait till you arc mhde mailers of our lives by a decree
of the fenate, and have it in your power to convid us of
fieltfbn by falfe evidence? You fay, the fymptoms at
home agree with the informations from abroad. Why do
isot you then ftiew us thefe fymptoms ? Why do not you
produce the accufers ? Could you pof&bly imagine, that
the fenate would deliver up our moft illufti^ous citizens to
your fury, upon a bare accufation by letter, without any
kind of proof ? To you, confcript fathers, to your in-
dulgence, the bold attempts of the tribunes are to be at
cribed. You were too eafy in delivering up the brave
Cafo to the rage* of his perfecutors. Their fuccefs againft
him encourages them to attempt every thing againft U8-
My opinion is, that, if the ftate be in any danger, it is
only from thefe fed iicers of the people, who, while they
pretend to be defenders of the pubUc liberty, are indeed
ks greatcft enemies."

This fpeech confounded the tribunes : they withdrew

with no lefs ihame than fury ; and, repairing to the af-

fembly of the people, began to inveigh moll bitterly

ThtpiofU againft t)oth fenate and confuls. Appius^ following the

con'vincgi/, tribunes, afcended the roftra, and fpoke to the people with

tJiMt the fQ much energy and docution, that the better fort were

^wkolitvas |^]j^ convinced, that thevpretended confpiracy was only
An artifice ■' . /- r I -i i ..*,.''. ' *

9fthttru ^" artifice of tpe tribunes, to have it in their power to

hwits* deftroy their enemies. 3ut the undiftinguiiiiing rabble

tontinued in*th^r firi@t perfuafion ; and tiie tribunes iook

great

The RetMH Uifiory, lO^

great care t^ maintain their apprehenfion, which, gave
ttieoi an opportunity of raifing new difturbances in the
ftate*.

. The inteftine broils of the republic encouraged a pri* Herdonmn
▼ate man in Sabinia, named Appius Herdonius, to at- ^ Sabine^
tempt the redudion of Rome. Having a great number ^**^^.
of flaves and clientS) he flattered himfelf, that he fhould tM^
be able, with their af&ftance) to reduce the Roman repuhe Rom€.
He under his obedience, and make hfmfelf king of Rome.
This bold defign he impjlrted to his friends, reprefenting
to them, that it was not imprafticable to furprife the city
during the divifion between the people and the fenate.
Some of them> no lefs enterprifing than himfelf, approv-
ing his undertaking, (bon aiTembled about four thoufanil
fuen, confining partly of their own clients, but chiefly of
flaves, outlaws, and men of defperate fortunes. Ihis
was indeed a fmall number for fo great an enterprise i
but Herdoniiis took it for granted, that a great number of
Roman exiles, befides the Roman populace, who were
greedy -of plunder, and fuch citizens as were enemies to
the patricians, the flaves, and alfo the iEqui and Volfci,
would not fail to come to his afllftance, upon the firft
news of his attempt. With thefe hopes, he embarked his
troops on the Tiber by night, brought them down the
river, and landed, before break of day, by the fide of the
Capitol. He afcended the hill without being perceived,
>nd, under cover of the darknefs, pqflcfled himfelf of
the temple of Jupiter, and the fortrcfs adjoining. Thence Pofijfa
be threw himfelf into the neighbouring houfes, and put ^i/nJ^V ^
ail thofe to the fwoid who refufed to join his forces, [fjl^'^
Some, who had the good luck to fave themfelves before "^ -^ ^'^ *
the Sabines entered their houfes, raifed an alarm in all
the quarters of the city : nothing was heard but confufed
voices of people, crying out, " To arms ! The enemy is
in the heart of the city!*'

The confuls, awakened by the noife, knew not whether 7Ae c9mfii$
Ais tumuk arofe from a domeftic.fa£tion, or foreign enemy j «' « ^^f'
and were therefore equally afraid to arm the people, or leave '^^*' ^
them difarmed. They contented themfelves with giving
arms to fome on whom they could depend, and placing
them in the forum, and at the gates of the city. The night
was fpent in doubts and uneaflnefs, neither the confuls
nor the people knowing how many or what enemies they
were to contend with« At length, the return of light

^ Dm. Ual. p. 6^««64}. Lit. lib. iii. cap. 25.

no

7he Roman Hijloryi

mk^rtfufi
H take

difcovcrcd who was at the head of fo daring an cntcrprizc.
The confuls immediately repaired to the forum, and fiim-
moned all the citizens to take arms, and follow them ;
but the tribunes, mounting their tribunal, with their un-
, feafonablc harangues, cooled the ardour of the people :
Imll^lool " ^^ ^° "^^ pretend (faid they), to obftrua the public
Ue ardor of goo^ 5 ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ Romans, this is the time for turn-
$kej>eofUt ing the fcrvice you arc about to do for your country, to
your own advantage. Before you take arms, infift upon
a promife that the confuls fliaU not oppofe the Terentian
law ; and do not cxpofe your lives to evident dangers, till
they have promifed, upon oath, that as foon as you have
retaken the Capitol, they will fuff);r it to pafs. Why
ihould you venture your lives, when you can draw no ad^
vantage from your bravery ?" Thefc words made fuch ad
impreflion upon the minds of the multitude, that neither
the commands of the confuls, nor the danger with Which
they were threatened, could prevail upon them to take
arms. The conful Claudius, full of indignation, pro-
pofcd that the patricians themfelves (hould attack the ci-
tadel : ** The people (faid he), would fell you their fer-
vices too dear. The patricians, attended by their clients,
and a few volunteers, are fufficient to drive away the ra(h~
Herdonius. Befides, we may borrow fuccours of the La-
tins and Hernici. Our flaves, if we fet them at liberty,
will lend their adiilance. In (hort, any foldiers are bet-
ter than refraftory citizens, who refute to relieve thcif
country in its diftrefs."

But Valerius, who was more moderate and popular
than his coUe^ue, obferved, that, in the prefent circum-
ftances, the fenate ought not to refufe the multitude any
thing that could induce them to take up arms immediate-
ly. The beft part of the fenators being of his opinion,
he advanced into the midft of the people, and promifed
<them, that as foon as the Capitol was retaken, he would
not hinder the tribunes from propofing the law. Th%
people, charmed with this promife, took arms, and fo^
lemnly fwore never to lay them down without leave o£
the confuls. Then the confuls drew lots for the condudl
of the attack, which fell to Valerius. Claudius was ap-
pointed to cover the city, and prevent any fuccours from
joining Herdonius. Valerius, having drawn up his troops
in the forum, marched to the attack with them, and a
legion of Tufculans, which L. Mamilius, the fupreme
magiftrate of that place, had fent^ of his own accordj to
ihe affiftance of the Romans*

Herdonius

tTsbrtus

frrumls
mpmtke
^tofU to
€tfm in
dijtnce of
ti>iir
€Ouniry,

The Roman ITiftoty.

Herdoilius fuftaitied the aflauit with fuch courage atid
' refolution, that the day was far fpent before the Romans
had gained any advantage over him. The conful Vale-
rius, encouraging his men, by his example, to advance
boldly, notwicfaftanding th^ fhowers of darts which were
inceflantly poured upon them^ was flain at the head of
the legionaries. P. Volumnius, who few hitn fall, or-
dered his body to be covered, in order to conceal his death.
He then took his place, and led on the Romans with fo
much bravery and condud:, that they carried the place
before they mifled their commander. Herdonius fought
like a man in defpair, who was refolved to fell his life
very dear. Being of a tall ftature, and great ftrength, he
.^ade a terrible flaughter of the Romans, difputing the
' ground inch by inch, till he was flain, after having loft
the greateft part of his followers. Thofc who outlived
their general, either fell upon their own fwords, or threw
themfelves from the top of the Capitol. Thus ended this
rafh enterprize, in The deftrudion of Herdonius, and all
his adherents ^.

The city had no fooner recovered from its fright, than
the tribunes called upon Claudius, the furviving conful,
to perform his colleague's promife ; but' he deferred it,
under various pretences ; and at length ref ufed to acl in
the affair, till a new conful ihouldbe ele£ted in the room
of Valerius. The day for the ele£tion being appointed,
the fenate, and the whole body of patricians, refolved to
choofe fome fenator of great merit, who (hould be capa-
ble of defeating the defign of the tribunes, and keeping
the people in awe by his authority. Th€y fixed upon
Quin£lius Cincinnatus, the father of Caefo ; who was ac-
cordingly ele£l:ed by the firft clafs, confifting of eighteen
centuries of cavalry, and fourfcore of infantry ; fo that
there was no occafion for the inferior clafles to give their
fuffrages. When the deputies, fent by ttie fenate to ac*
quaint Quindius with his promotion, prefented him with
me decree of his ele&ion, the venerable, old man was
in doubt what refolution to take. He had retired, af-
ter his fon's difgrace, into the country, and was fo pleafed
with a rural life, that he preferred it to all the pomp of
the confular dignity. However, facrificinj^ his private
fatisfa£tion to the love of his country, he left the plough,
which he was driving when the deputies arrived, and con-
fented to accompany them to the city : but be firft took

III

TAi conful
kiliid^ and
the Sakims
driven
from tht
CapM.

Hirdoniui

killed.

Cmeinnatui

eonfuL

^ Dion, Hal* ibid, Liv« lib. iii, cap. |8.

leftve

IIZ

Hi r$pri*

msitds b^k
the ffftait
imdtki

makes the
tribunes
diefififrom
their prth-
fecutton of
ike Teren-
tian law.

The Roman Hiftoty.

leave of his wife, and, recommending to her the care o(
bis, domeftic affairs, *^ I fear (faid he), my dear Racilia,
that our fields will be but ill cultivated this year."

He no fooner entered upon his office, than be turned
his. thoughts upon reforming the fenate, and reftraining
the infolence of the people, and their tribunes. In his
firft fpeech^ he reprimanded both the fenate and people
with equal feverity, without declaring himfelf for either
party. He reproached the fenate for feeding, with their
continual compliance, the rebellious fpirit of the people;
and the tribunes for raifing continual difturbances, and
promoting an unbridled licentioufnefs among the popn-
lace : '* Some feditious men ^faid he), -reign in Rome
with nH>re infolence and tyranny than the Tarquins ; but
1 (hall take care to carry the people from thoie feducers.
Know then, Romans, that my colleague and I have re«
folved to make war upon the ^qui and Volfci. We alfo
declare, that our intention is to paf| the winter in the
field, without ever returning, during our confulate, into
a city fo full of fedition. We command all thofe, who
have taken the military oath, to appear to-morrow, with
th^ir arms, at the lake Regillus.'* The tribunes anfwered,
** That they would not fuffcr any levies to be made ; and
that, if X^inflius was determined to take the fields he
might chance to go to war only with his colleague." The
brave conful replied, ** That there was no occaGon for
new* levies, fince the oaths the people had taken to Vale-
rius, whofe place he fi^plied, were ftill binding," The
tribunes, to elude that engagement, affirmed, that, by the
oath the people had taken to Valerius, they had not laid
themfelves under any obligation to Quin^ius, who was
then but a private man. Bat the anfwers of the tribunes
feeming, even to thoie who were mod nearly concerned,
more fubcle than folid, every orie began to take arms,
though very unwillingly. . What ftill increafed their un-
eafinefs was, a report that the confuls defigned to hold a
general afTembly on tbe banks of the lake Regillus, and
there to annul whatever had been done in former affem-
blies for tbe advantage of the people.

Quinftius farther iniinuated, that, on hi8 return, he
would name a dictator, whofe authority could not be
curbed by the oppofirion of the tribunes. Thefe reports,
artfully fpread abroad, ftrtick terror into the tribunes and
tbe people. The women and children, all in tears, con-
jured the principal men in the fenate to intercede for them
with Quin6liuS| and prevail upon him to fuffer their huf«

bands

T&e Roman Hifioty, Iij

bancis^ and fathers to return to their homes at the end of
the campaign. Quindius feemed inflexible ; and the
people^ feized with confternation even at the mention of
fpending the winter in the camp, became very fubmii&ve*
At length, a kind of treaty was made between Quin£):ius
and the tribunes : the former promifed not to force the
troops to winter in the £eld, nor even to march out of*
the city ; and the latter bound themfelves to make no
propofal to the people concerning new laws. To thefc
two articles was added a third ; importing, that, for the
future, neither confuls nor tribunes (hould be continued
in their offices beyond the year* Quin£tius, having thus
reftored tranquility to the city, applied himfelf to hear
and determine private caufes, and pronounced fuch equit-
able judgments, that the people, charmed with his con-
duct, feemed to have forgotten, that there were any fuch
officers as tribunes in the republic K

Notwithftanding the late agreement between Quinftius
and the tribunes, the latter found means to be continued
in their employments. Hereupon the patricians were for
continuing Quin£tius in the confulffiip ; but he warmly
pppofed it, upbraiding the fenators with their contempt-
ible levity in being fo ready to violate their own laws, and
thereby countenancing the breach of them in the people.
Before he retired to his farm, he prefided at the comitia,
when Fabius Vibulanus a third time, and L. Cornelius
Maluginenfis, were named confuls for the enfuing year.
They had fcarce entered upon their office, when news,
were brought to Rome, that Antium had revolted to the
Volfci, who, together with the iEqui, had taken the
field. It fell to the ^ lot of Fabius to march againft the TAiJSt^
Volfci, and he gained confiderable advantages over them ; andTofci
while his colleague was attended with equal fuccefs ^f^^^^^'
againft the ^qui, who, after having been defeated in the
field with great flaughter, (hut themfelves up in the city
of Antium. Cornelius laid clofe fiege to the place, look Antium
it by ftorm, and ordered the chief authors of the revolt to '*^'*»
be nrft fcourged in the market-place, and then beheaded.
The ^qui, being exhaufted by their repeated loffiis, had
recourfe to the clemency of the fenate, who granted them
peace, upon the fame conditions on which it had been for-
merly granted to the Latins : they were to continue in
pofTeffion of their cities, lands, and laws, but under the
dominion of Rome ".

J Dion. Hal. p. 64.3^646. Li v. lib. iii. cap« 19-^21. nDion*
Hal. p. 647— '65i« LiVtUbf aU«cap. ao*-29. u v

VoL.X. I While

114

Folfc'tus

7hi profi-
tution
fiopped ty
the tri"
kunes.

The eon/u!

and hit
v/h»U ar*
my^ in
greai dan^
ger.

Yr. of Fl.

1891.
Ante Chr.

457.
U. C. 291.

^e Roman Hifiory4

While the confuls were thus employed in the field, the
quaeftors, A. Cornelius and Q- Servilius, men of great pro-
bity, began a profecution agamft M. Volfcius, for having
borne falfe witnefs againft Cxfo. In virtue of the power
annexed to their office, they convened an aflembly of the
people, and produced their evidences ; of whom fome
depofed, that they had feen Csefo in the army on- the
very day when Vx)lfeius pretended he killed his brother at
E.ome. Others gave tcftxmony, that Volfcius*s brother
died of a languilning diftemper, and that he never was
out of his houfe rfter he was firiff taken ill. Thefe fads
were attefted by fo many perfons of unqueftionaWe credit,
that there was no room left to doubt of Volfcius's malice.
But the tribunes, whd had fuborned that plebeian, put a
ftop to this profecution, declaring, that they would not
Tufffer the fuflrages of the people to be gathered upon any
aflFair whatfoever, before the Terentian law was promul-
gated. The fenate, in their turh, made ufe of the like
pretence, declaring, that they would not fuffer the Teren-
tian law to be propofed, till the buGnefs of Volfcius fhould
be determined.

Thefe coritefts were fpun out till the returtl of the con- .
fuls, who entered Rome in triumph, and foon after re-
figned the fafces to G. Nautius and L.. Minmius, who
were obliged to take the field, in the veiy beginning of
their year, againft the Volfci, who had revolted from the
Romans, and againft the Sabines, who, with a numerous
army, committed great devaftations in the Roman territory.
The latter were routed by the conful Nautius, and forced
to ftiut thcmfdves up in their fti-ong holds. But Minu-
tius, by a ftratagem of Cluilius, commander of the ^qui,
being led into a valley, was there hemmed in on all fides,
and in danger of being ftarved into a furrender at difcre-
tion. Some horfemen, having found means to make their
efcape in the night, carried the news to Rome : whereupon
Q. Fabius, governor of the city, immediately difpatched a
meflfeftger to th^ other conful, to inform him of the danger
to which his colleague was expofed. Nautius repaired to
Rome in alt hafte ; and having affembled the fenate, aH
the fathers were for having recourfe to the remedy made
ufe of in their greateft calamities, which was, a di£tator»
' Accordingly, the conful named QuinSius Cincinnatus for
that high ftation, and immediately returned to put himfelf
at the head of his army. The governor of Rome fent the
fionful's de.ccee to jl^in^Slius, who was found, as before,
cultivating his' imM inheritance with im own hands*

When

^hi^ Roman liijiory. Hjj

When he faw the deputies, a train of attendants/ and s^inaiiu
twenty-four Hftors, with their fafces^ advancing to him, Cindnna^
he put on his robe, and going to meet them, ** What '«^<^'^«-
txdings (faid he), do you bring from Rome ?" " Your ^^^*
country (replied the deputies), being in great danger, de-
mands a didlator, and you are the only refuge Rome has
in her diftrefs.'* At thefe words he (ighed; though
forry to quit his beloved folitude, he obeyed the orders of
the lenate, and having put on the habit of his new dig-
nity, fet out for Rome. The fenate provided him with
a boat, in which he croffed the Tiber, his three fons, his
friends, and the chief men of the fenate, receiving him at
his landing, condufked him in triumph to his houfe,,
amidft the acclamatious of the people. Next day, the
difbator named for general of the horfe L. Tarquitius.
He was a patrician of uncommon valour ; but not being
able to keep a horfe, had till then ferved in the infantry.
The dictator, who had obferved his gallantry and conduft
in the campaign he had made under him, did juftice to
his merit, and, notwithftanding his poverty, raifed him
to that high ftation.

The firft order Quinftius iflued was, that all the fhops
and tribunals fliould be (hut up : then he commanded all
the youth in the city and country to be, before fun-fet, in
. the Campus Martius, each with twelve ftakes, and pro-
vifions for five days. He then put himfelf at the head of Marches to
thefe troops, and, before break of day, arriving at the ^henliif
enemy's camp, viewed their entrenchments as well as ^''^'^**
the obfcurity of the night would allow him. Then, by a
repetition of loud fliouts, he gave the conful notice of
his arrival. The fignal was no fooner underftood by the
confular army, than, without waiting for day-light, they
I'an to arms, and fell . upon the enemy, with another
fliout, which was heard by the diftator's forces. The
JSqui firft turned their arms againft Quinftius, in order
to prevent him from furrounding them ; but being called
back to repulfe the conful, Quinftius feized that opportu-
nity to fortify his entrenchments with a palifado made of
the ftakes his men had brought from Rome. Thefe en-
trenchments ferved, at the fame time, to fliut up the
cnemp's camp ; fo that the general of the -/Equi, named
Gracchus Duilius, found himfelf at day-light in the fame
fituation to which he had reduced the conful. Early in ^hom he
the morning, the di£lator and conful attacked the enemy's ^'''^"|
camp at the fame time with fuch vigour, that DuiliuS) ^ ^qui
{earing his lines would be forced fword in hand, had re- pafs under

1 2 courfe thejQkii

ii6

ne Roman Hiftory.

courfc to negotiation : he fent deputies to the conful^ who
• . referred them to the di£tator. Quinftius, having heard
their propofals, which were, to qujlt their camp, and re-
tire without baggage^ arms, or cloaths, fternly replied'^
that he did not think their death would be of any fervice
to his republic ; and therefore was willing to grant them
their lives, but upon condition, that they delivered to him
their general and chief officers, and fubmitted to pafs,
every man, without diftinftion, under the yoke, to im-
print it deeply on their minds, that the JEqui were a na-
tion conquered by the Romans. If they refufed to com-
ply with thefe conditions, he threatened to cut them all
in pieces. The -^qui, being furrounded on all fides, and
unable to fuftain two attacks at the fame time, fubmitted
to what conditions the vi<9:orious enemy was pleafed to
impofe. Two javelins were therefore fixed in the ground,
and a third laid over them ; and under this yoke all the
ffheir chief foldiers paffed, naked and unai;med. At the fame time,
vgicersde-, they delivered up to the Romans their general and chief
officers, who were refecved to adorn the didlator's tri-
umph.

Quinftius would not allow the troops of the conful Mi-
nutius to have any (hare of the fpoil. He then obliged
Minutlus to lay down his office ; a difgrace which the
modeft conful was fo far from refenting, that he and his
troops prefented the didator with a crown of gold of a
pound weight, for having faved the lives and honour of his
fellow-citizens. Quinflius, after this viftory, returned
to Rome, which he entered in triumph. Before his cha-
riot were led the enemy's general, and a great number of
officers in chains, who conftituted the chief ornament of
that proceffion. The diftator, having finiflied his expe-
dition in lefs than a fortnight, was for laying down his
office, and retiring to his folitude ; but his friends pre-
vailed upon him to continue in the diftatorfhip, till Vol-
fcius, the accufer of his fon Caefo, was brought to his trial.
Accordingly, he affembled the curiae: the informer being
convi£led of calumny and bearing falfe witnefs, was, ac-
cording to the law or retaliation, condemned to perjpetual
banifhment, and Caefo recalled. This aft of jumce being
performed, Quinftius abdicated the diftatorfhip the fix-
teenth day after his advancement, though he might have
held that dignity fix months ".

hvered up
$0 him.

Hede-
grades the
eonful Mi'
nmtius^

His tri'
umfh*

n Dion. Hal. ibid.
Orof. iib« ii. cap. 12.

Liv. lib# ii, cap. 28, 29. Flor. lib. i. cap. n*

The

The Roman Hiftory. 117

The abdication 'of the di£):atbr was followed by new Niw (Hf*
difturbances : Virginius was continued a fifth year in the turbances
tribunefhip j Volfcius was recalled frop baniihment, and '* ^^^*
reinftatedin his office; the tribunes revived the difpute
about the Terentian law ; and, at the fame time, the iEqui,
though lately fubdued, together with the Sabines, began
to make their ufual inroads, and lay wafte the Roman
territory. The two new confuls, C. Horatius and Q^Mi-
nutius, were ordered by the fenate to raife troops» and
march, without delay, againft the enemy j but the tri-
bunes protefted, that they would not fuffer one plebeian
to give in his name, till the commiffioners for making a
body of laws, according to Terentius's propofal, fliould
be named. An extraordinary aflembly of the fenate was
therefore fummoned, to deliberate on the prefent trou-
bles ; and Quindius Cincinnatus recalled to make head
againft the tribunes* He was of opinion, that the whole Thepeoph
fenate, and the body of the patricians, with their friends r^fufing to
and clients, fliould take arms, and haften into the' field. w/j^,Mf
His advice was received with applaufe : even the oldeft fi^^^f^f^
fenators repaired immediately to their houfes, took arms, ^tah^armu
and, attended by their clients and friends, appeared in the
£orum* The people, whd flocked thither from all parts,
being moved at this new fight, the conful Horatius ex-»
horted all good citizens to join thofc illuftrious fenators^
who chofe rather to expofe their lives to the utmoft
dangers, than to fee Rome infulted by her enemies.
Virginias, in the name of his colleagues and the people,
anfwered, that the plebeians would not ferve, till the
Terentian law was accepted. On this occafion Horatius
made a reproachful fpeecb to the curias, fhcwing them
the difmal efieds which the feditious pra£tices of their
tribunes muft at laft unavoidably produce.

His harangue made a deep imprefilion on the minds of
the multitude; which Virginius perceiving, thought it
advifeable to conform to the prefent conjunfture. Affum-
ing therefore an air of moderation, he told the conful,
that he was ready to defift from oppofing the levies, nay,
that he would himfelf exhort the people to take arms,
provided the fenate would grant one favour, which would
be erf great fervice to them, and in no refpeft detrimental
to their authority. The conful defired him to fpeak
his mind freely, afluring him, that he would find the
fenate ready to comply with any reafonable requeft in the
behalf of the people. Then Virginius, having firft con-
ferred with his colleagues, replied, " AH that the people

1 3 requeft

ii8 ^e Roman Hjftory.

requeft is, that you will fufibr the number of the tribunea
to be encreafed from five to ten. If you deny our requeft
in an aflFair of fo fmall importance, accufe yourfelves only
of the misfortunes the republic may fuflPer.'^ This unex-
peded requeft divided the fenate. Caios Claudius op»
pofed it with great warmth, being governed by this he-
reditary maxim, that all the requefts of the tribunes ought
rhe peopli to be fufpefted. But Quindius Cincinnatus, confidering
aihwidto this affair in another light, was for granting the tribunes
^* their requeft. He thought,- that the more numerous the

tribunes were, the more eafy it would be to fbw divtfions
Yr. of F*. among them. The opinion of this great man prevailed \
1892. and the fenate pafled a decree, giving the people leave to
^^^\^^^' choofe ten tribunes annually, provided they did not conr
U- c! toa. tinue the fame man in office above a year. Purfuant to
_ this decree, the tribes were immediately afiembled, and

7/ie tri' the two. tribunes chofen out of each of the firft five cladTes.
bunes of The tribunes being thus fatisfied, two armies were raifed
incrHfed ^^^^"^ oppofition Minutius marched againft the Sa-^
\o^un! bines, who fled before him, and retired into their own
country. Horatius led his troops againft the ^qni, re-
took Corbio and Ortona, which they had feized ; and then
both confuls returned to Rome, to prefide in the comitia
at the eleftion of their fucceffors **.

In the following confulate of M. Valerius Laducinus,
and Sp. Virginius Tricoftus, the tribunes, grown more
audacious than ever by the increafe of their number, pro-
pofed, that Mount Aventine, or at leaft fuch parts of it
as lay uncultivated, or were not poffefled by lawful own-
ers, might be yielded to the people, yrhp being now
very numerous, began to want habitations. The confuls
looking upon this new demand as a prelude to the revival
of the agrarian law, and therefore defeiring to convene
the fenate to debate it, Icilius, one of the tribunes, venr
umltof' ^"*^^^ "P^'^ ^^ attempt never heard of before. He fent aa
ihetri' officer to them, commanding them to afiemble the fenate
huttis. forthwith. The meffenger was, by the order of the con-
fujs, fcverely beaten, and ignorainioufly driven away by
one of the JiAors. Hereupon the tribunes caufed the
li^lor to be feized, and fome were for putting him to
death,' for violating the facred privileges of the tribune-
fliip. The fenate, to fave him, had recourfe to entreaties,
but without fuccefs : they were obliged to come to a
compofition with the tribunes. The li£lor was fet at It

^ Dion. HaK p. 65«— 6S0. Liv. ibid«cap. 30, 31 •

bcrtyj

The Roman Hiftory. U^

1>ertj; but Mount Aventine was, hj a decree of the fe» Mount
nate, yielded to the people. The fenate fpon found, Ayeming
that their compliance with the laft demands of the peo- J^^^^'*^ '«
pie lerFed only to encourage new pretenfions. Icilius, ' ^P^^P^
the moft enterprifing of the tribunes, formed a defign to
bring the confuls themfelves under fubje£lion ^ In the
€X>nfulate of T. Romilius and C. Yetrurius, the tribunes
wrere more fadious than ever about the Tercntian law.
The confuls, knowing the republic would never be quiet
at home, till (he was engaged in a war abroad, refolved
to revenge the inroads which the Sabines and ^qui had
made the year before ; but, in raifing levies, they ufed fo
much feverity, that the people appealed to their tribunes,
who, taking the part of the complainants, endeavoured to
refcue out of the hands of the li£):ors thofe whom the
confuls had ordered to be feized, for refufing to anfwer Th tri-
ndien called upon. The confuls advanced to fupport the bunts urdst
execution of their orders 5 but the tribunes, fupported by *^*^^v/uls
the populace, not only repulfed them, but ordered their /gi^j^
xdiles^ to feize thofe fovereign magiilrates, and carry them
to prifon. So daring an attempt provoked the patricians TAitri-
to fuch a degree, that they fell upon the tribunes, beat bums beat-
them, and forced them to fly with their adherents. ^" jb. '-*'

Next day the tribunes aflTembled the people anew, and ^^ ^'^'^"^^
fummpned the corvfuls to appear before their tribunal, to ^^^ confuls
anfwer for what had happened the day before. The con- ^^'^^befyn
fuls fcortffully refufing to obey the fummons, the tribunes i^^JJ^]'
brought their complaints to the fenate, and threatened to
afiemble the tribes, in order to judge the confuls, in cafe
they did not appear to juftify their condud:. The conful
Romilius haughtily anfwered, that the tribunes had been
the aggreflbrs, and the fole authors of the tumult \ and
protefted, that if they were fo daring as to proceed a ftep
farther in this affair, he would arm the whole body of
patricians againft them. The fenate, thinking it equally
dangerous to declare either for the confuls or the tribunes,
broke up, without coming to any refolution. Icilius,
finding that nothing was to be expeded from the fenate,
convened an afTembly of the people, in order to excite
them to fome vigorous refolution. Some of the plebeians
were for taking arms, and retiring again to the Sacred
Mount; others. for proceeding againft the confuls, and
iniifting upon their appearing before the people, or con-
iemning them to death or banifhmeht ; but the moft mo^

^ Liv. lib. iii. cap. 31. ' ^

^14 derate

J

120

ne irl"
hunts r/-
new thiir
purfuit of
the agra-
rian law.

Siciifiiij
Dentatus
pUads
for it.

The Roman Hiftory.

derate advifed the people to defer all proceedings againft
theconfuls, till their confulate was expired, and, in the
mean time, to profecute, with the utmoft rigour, tbofe
patricians, who had aiBfted them in the infult they had
committed on the perfons of the tribunes. Of thefe three
different opinions, the tribunes chofe to follow the fecond ;
and accordingly fummoned the confuls to appear on the
third market-day. fhis proje£t, however, proved abortive }
for Icilius declared, in the aflembly of the people^ that
the college of tribuneSi at the entreaties of the fenate,
forgave the confuls the perfonal injuries they had received
from them, but could not negleil the interefts of the peo-
ple, and would therefore propofe both the agrarian and
Terentian laws to their con fi deration. He accordingly
fixed a day for a new afTembly, to deliberate upon tbofe
matters.

The time appointed being come, and the people aflem-
bled, Icilius made a long harangue in favour of the agra-
rian law ; and then declared, that any plebeian might
fpeak freely. Upon this intimation, many plebeians pleaded
the right their fervices gave them to a fliare of the con-
quered lands, and made loud complaints of the patricians,
who ufurped what the plebeians had gained with their
blood. This was the common complaint of the ple-
beians; but none reprefented it in ftronger terms than
one Sicinius* or, as Livy calls him, Siccius Dentatus.
He was a plebeian, about threefcore years of age, but yet
in his full ftrength and vigour, of a handfome fhape and
mien, and not uneloquent for a man of his profellion.
He enumerated his exploits in war during forty years fer-
vice s told the multitude, that he had been in a hundred
and twenty engagements ; that he had received forty-five
woui^ds, and all before, twelve of theni in that (ingle acr
tion againft Herdonius'the Sabine ; that for the laft thirty
years he had been always in command ; that he had ac?
quired fourteen civic crowns, for- faving the lives of fo
piany citizens ; three mural crowns, for having been the
firft who mounted the breach in towns taken by ftorm,
eight other crowns for different exploits, eighty-three gol-
den collars^ fixty golden bracelets, eighteen lances, twen-
ty-five fets of furniture for horfes, nine of which he had
won from fo many enemies conquered in fingle combat.
" And thefe military toys (added he), are the only re-
wards I have hitherto received. No lands, no fhare <9
the conquered countries : ufurpers, without any title but
that of a patrician extra£tion, poflefs them. Is this to be

c^idured f

The Roman Hifloryl dii

endured ? Shall they alone enjoy the fruits of our con-
quefts ? the purchale of our blood ? No, plebeians, let
us delay no longer to do ourfelves juftice. Let us this
very day pafs the law propofed by Icilius. If the young
patricians oppofe it, let our tribunes make them feel what
is the extent of their authority." Icilius beftowed the
higheft eulogiums on Dentatus \ but affecting to appear a
ilri£t obferver of the laws, declared, that he could not
with juftice propofe the law, till he had heard what the
patricians alleged againft it. Accordingly he adjourned
the affembly to the next day.

In the mean time the confuls, having employed great ^tfolutiom
part of the night in confulting with the chief men of the ^^*^" ^
fenate on the proper means to fruftrate the defigns of the ^ ^A"^"^*
tribunes, refolved to employ all their rhetoric (o fa-
tisfy the people ; but if they continued obftinately bent
upon the publication of the law, in that cafe to hinder^
by force, the colle£ling of the votes. This refolution
being imparted to the patricians, they all repaired early
in the morning to the forum, and difperfed themfelves
among the multitude in fmall parties. The confuls being
come, the tribunes caufed proclamation to be made by a
herald) that whoever had any folid reafons to offer againft
the publication of the agrarian law, might lay them be-
fore the people. Several fenators prefented themfelves,
one after another ; but they no fooner began to fpeak,
than the populace rendered it impoffible to hear what they
faid. The confuls protefted againft all that (hould be*
done in fo tumultuous an aflembly ; but the tribunes,
without liftening to their remonftrances, commanded the
urns to be opened, and the tablets to be delivered to the
people, in order to vote. The young patricians, incenfed I'/ifpatri^
at this prefumption> fnatched away the urns, and feat- ^'^"V^"
tercd about the tablets, on which the votes were writ- fJrcethe
ten ; and, throwing themfelves at the head of their clients paffingof
and friends, into the crowd, by force hindered the peo- the law.
pic from dividing into their refpeftive tribes. The tri-
bunes, having attempted to oppofe the patricians, and keep
the people together, were at length obliged to retire, and
defer the promulgation of the law to another day.

Early next morning the tribunes aflembled the people \
and, having demahded and obtained pcrmiflion of the
afTembly to inquire after the authors of the l^te diforder,
t^ey refolved to turn the whole accufation againft the
youth of the Pofthumian, Sempronian, and Claelian fa-
fnilies, .who had been the moft a£tive in the fray. It was

then

121^ The Roman Hiftory.

then cuftomary in Rome to determine what puniilimen^
the accufed deferved, in cafe he was convi^ed, before
^heifiates hig crime was reported to the people. The tribunes^
^L^"^ y therefore, having affembled a certain number of the moft
MridBms confiderable citizens, to determine the puniffament they
tmi^caied. fliould inflict upon the ringleaders of the tumult, fome
voted for death, others for banilhment ; but Sicinius pro-
pofed the ilighteft puniftment the laws esjoined, namely,
the confifcation of their eie£ks \ and bis opinion prevailed.
The chief men of the fenate, having confulted on this
occaGon, thought it advifable not to oppofe the profecution,
hoping that the multitude, fatisfied with this condeficen-
fion, would drop the more important afiair of the law.
As for the lofs of the fuifcrers, they refolved to repair it
at their private charges. Accordingly, when the day
eame for the trial, the perfons accufed not appearing,
were condemned in a fine for default, and their goods
publicly fold to pay it. But the fenate caufed them to be
bought up by private hands, and reftored to the former
proprietors **.
TS# JEqui During thefe contentions, news were brought that the
'i!^^^^^^f -^q^i ^^^ made an irruption itito the territory of the Tuf-
^cuSim, culans, who were in alliance with Rome. The fenate
immediately decreed, that the confuls fiiould take the
field, and march to the afliftance of thofe faithful allies.
The tribunes did not fail to embrace this opportunity to
raife new difturbances about the agrarian law, protefting,
that they would not fufFer the plebeians to take arms till
the hw was paffed. But they were not feconded by the
people, who, remembering the affiftance they had re-
ceived from Tufculum again ft Herdonius, readily gave in
their names ; fo that two armies were immediately raifed.
Sicinius Dentatus was one of the firft who joined the
confuls, at the head of eight hundred veterans, who had
a*ll ferved the time prefcribed by law, but were willing to
make one campaign more under the command of fo famous
*tke etnfuh a leader. The confuls marched out of Rome in great
marfh ftate 5 but the ^qui, on the news of their approach, re-
^|«iw^ tired to their own frontiers, and encamped on a fteep rock.
^ The Romans pitched their camp not far from the enemy,

and kept clofe within it, to conceal their ftrength, that the
enemy might be tempted to offer them battle. Accordingly
the -flEqui, imagining the number of the Romans to be very
fmall, defcended into the plain, and there challenged tbr

^ iDioiii HftU iibi fapra.
* Romans

The Roman Hiftory. H j

Komans to an engagement. The conful Romilius^ who
commanded in chiefs feeing the enemy thus confirmed in
their falfe confidence, fefolved to give them battle in the
plain^ and, at the fame time, to attack their camp on the
hill. With this view he fent for Sicinius, and, either
out of efteem for fo valiant a commander, or, what is
more probable, with 2t defign to expofe him and his vete- /

rans, who were all plebeians, to the moft imminent dan-
ger, gave him the charge of attacking the enemy*s camp.

Sicinius, apprifed of the danger of fo defperate an T'he gd-
attempt, fpoke to this effect: " I never yet declined any lantbehor
dangerous enterprize out of fear ; but give me leave to ^^^^^ff
reprefent to you, that the execution of what you com- ^7«/tf/liL
mand, is not fo eafy as you feem to imagine. The roclc
is very fteep on all fides, and not acceifible but by a nar-
row way, which a handful of men may defend againfl:
a whole arm,y. If you infift, therefore, on our making
this attack, reinforce my detachment, and put us in a
condition to {hew(&ur bravery, without difhonouring our-
felves by a rafh attempt." At thefe words the conful told
him in great anger, that his bufinefs was to obey, and
not to aft the general ; and then added, with a fcornful
finile, ** This then is the brave man who has fignalized
himfetfina hundred and twenty battles, who has been
forty years in the fervice, and whofe whole body is co-
vered over with wounds 1 He recoils at the fight of dan-
ger, and has no courage but in words. Go, Sicinius, go
to the comitia, and fight the patricians with your tongue.
What you refufe to undertake others will put in execu-
tion.** The brave plebeian, enraged at ^he general's re- •
proaches, told him boldly, that he found he was refolv-
ed either to deftroy an old foldier, or bring him to dif-
grace ; that he had been always ready to facrifice his life
for his honour, and therefore would march up to the
enemy*s camp, and either gain it, or fall in the attempt,
with all the veterans under his command. Then turning
to them, ** My dear fellow*foldiers (faid he), let us go
whitherfoever honour and the command of our general
call us. You will bear me witnefs after my death, that I
was deftroyed only for having defended with zeal the
public liberty/* His veterans took their leave of the reft
of the foldiers, who looked upon them as men fent to
flaughter.

" But Sicinius, who perfeflly underflood the art of war,
inftead of following the narrow path,which the conful had
pointed out to him^ l^d hi^ men round^ and| at length,

entered

1^4 ^^^ Roman Hijloty.

. entered a great wood that extended along the hills qnite
to the enemy's camp. There he met with a peafant,
who conduced him to an eminence which overlooked
the enemy's quarters. From thence he viewed the two
armies, which were already engaged ; s^nd, at the fame
time, obferved, that the foldiers, who were left to gnard
the enemy's camp, were all gone to that fide which was
Hunters^ next the plain, to view the battle. At this jundlure Si-
ihiinemfs cinius, with his veterans, entering the entrenchments
iriMchis, Yritbout oppofition, ordered his men to give a loud {hoot,
and, at the fame time, falling upon the ^qui, whofe
eyes were turned another way, (truck them with fuch ter-
ror, that they abandoned the camp, and fled in theutmofl:
confufion to the main body of their army. Sicinius pur-
fued them clofe, made great flaughter of them by the way,
and then, falling upon the rear of the main body, which
was engaged with the Romans, quickly put an end to the
^keJEqui conflift. The iEqui fled, and the confuls following them^
routed by killed above feven thoufand in the purfuit. Sicinius, as
the Ro' fofon as it was dark, retired with his veterans to the camp
•'^•'* he had taken from the enemy. There, having put to the

fword all the prifoners, killed the horfes, and fet fire to
the tents, arms, and baggage, he marched, with all poflii*
ble expedition, to Rome, with his victorious cohort, and
gave an account to the tribunes of what had pafled, beg-
ging that the honours of a triumph mi^ht not be allowed to
generals who had abufed their authority for the deftruc**
tion of their fellow-citizens. The people, full of indig-
nation, promifed that they would never confcnt that the
confuls ihould have a triumph ; and, accordingly, when
the generals returned from the campaign, the multitude
refufed to let them enter the city with the ufual pomp on
fuch occafions. The fenate, fearing fome new commo-
tions, did not think proper to efpoufe the caufe of the
confuls; fo that they returned without honour, and
loaded with odium.

The two confuls had no fooner refigned the fafces to
their fucceflTors, Sp. Tarpeius and A. Aterius, than they
were cited before the aflembly of the people. Sicinius,
whom the people had raifed to the tribunefhip, took upon
him the management of the profecution againft his enemy
Romilius, whilft Atlienus, one of the aediles, accufed
Veturius. On the day appointed for their trial they both-
appeared, depending on the patricians, who had promifed
they would not fufFer the fuffrages of the people to be ga-
thered. But Sicinius took fuch methods to pi event dif*

turbances^

The Rdman Hiftor). 125

turbanccSi that they were both fegularly tried for having rhe lafl
offered violence to the tribunes, and difturbed them in yiar^scoH"
the execution of their office; alfo for abufing their ^''^'f'*''^
authority in the army, in order to deftroy Sicinius and ^ij '^^
the eight hundred veterans of his cohort. The people yf/,J^,
fined them both, Romilius in ten thoufand afes, and Ve-
turius in fifteen thoufand '•

The tribunes, finding they could not bring the confuls l^ht tH-
to hear of the agrarian Taw, returned to the purfuit of the ^^"^^ ^^
Terentian. The fenate, to end the continual contefts -{"^^f'/-
between them and the people, which they forefaw would. /|/7>r*«.
at length make Rome become a prey to her enemies, be- tianltpw^
gan to hearken to the propofal of the tribunes; and de-
clared, that they would not oppofe the drawing up a body
of laws which fhould be a guide to the magiftrates, pro-
vided all the legiflators were chofen out of the nobility.
On the other hand, the tribunes .infilled on having them
chofen partly out of the nobility and partly out of the ple-
beians. - On this occafion Romilius, to the great furprize Artfecond*
of both parties, declared, with great warmth, for the id by the
eftablifliment of fixed laws ; and, at the fame time pro- ^''^?*^»
pofed fending deputies to Athens, to tranfcribe the laws *^' '"'*
of Solon, and of the other lawgivers of Greece, in order
to compile from them a body of Roman laws, which (hould
be the rule for magiftrates in all the parts of their admi-
niftration. The opinion of Romilius was followed by the
two confuls, and a great majority of the fenators. But .
before the decree paffed, the tribune Sicinius beftowed
great encomiums on Romilius, protefting, that, for the
futuie, he (hould ever be his friend. He went farther \
and, as Romilius had not yet paid the fine, the tribune
declared, that he remitted it in the name of the people.
But as fines, according to the cuftoms of thofe days, were
always applied to religious ufes, Romilius rejeded this
favour, protefting, that he would not defraud the gods of
the money which belonged to them. A decree, conform- ^ht law Mi
able to Romilius's propofal being pafTed by the fenate, and ^"Sj^
confirmed by the people, Sp. Pofthumiu§, S. Sulpicius, $^^^'^^.
and A. ManliuS, were appointed to repair to Greece, and pfttiet fent
there coWtfk the beft laws and inftitutions of the Greek into Grgta
cities, efpecially of Athens. The quaeftors ordered fome '^ ^^^^
gallics to be fitted out, and magnificently adorned, to give ^ ^
the Greeks an advantageous opinion of the Roman re- * *'

public, with which they were yet entirely unacquainted..

' Liv.lib. iii.cap. 31.

Oa

14^ ^he Roman H^iory.

On board o£ thefe gallie» the deputies embarked, kairin|f
Rome in the enjoyment of profound peace^ which lafted
all this year and the following, wheii P. Curiatitts and
Sextus QuintilittS were confuls ' ; but almoft all Italy was
Aphfue afflifted with a plague, which fwept away [great numbers
mi Rome, of citizens at Rome. Next year P. Seftius and T. Mene-
nius, being confuls, the plague ceafed, and the deputies
returned from Greece- Upon their return, the people
. prefled the nomination of the ten commifEoners, or de-
cemvirs, for the great work of drawing up a body of laws.
But the confuls Seftius and Menenius, being averfe to the
whole dedgn, deferred the election under various pre-
tences. At firft they aMcged, in excufe of their delay,
that their fucceffors, in whofe confulate this great afiair
was to be fettled, ought to be previoufly elefted. Thb
pretence battened the eledion of the new confuls, when
Appios Claudius, and T. Genucius were chofen before
the ufual time. Appius was the fon of that Appius who
had killed himfelf, and grandfon of the firft Appius. All
the patricians gafe him their fufFrages, hoping he would
rival his anceftors in zeal for the power of the fenate.
TAf /ff- After this elcdion of magiftrates^ the tribunes applied

hums apph^ themfelves anew to the prefent confuls for the nomination
^fJ^VTthe ^^ ^^^ decemvirs. But Menenius, pretending to be ill,
nJmtHation '^^P^ *' home ; and Seftius declared, that he would not
9ftke de» aft in fo important an affair without his colleague. Then
amvirs, the tribunes had recourfe to the confuls eleft. It now
jBvidently appeared, that the Roman conftancy, and zeal
of the moft rigid patricians for the interefts of their body,
^he conful ^^ nothing more than a refined ambition ; for Ap^us
Appius Claudius, who had hitherto valued himfelf on his im-
Oaudius moveable attachment to the party of the nobiKty, and
joins the feemed to have derived it with his blood from his ancef-
tors, changed his principles all at once, and joined the
tribunes, in order to get the decemvirs appointed. His
colleague Genucius followed his example, but with more
moderation. Appius publicly undertook the defence of
the popular fa£lion ; and, at the inftigation of the tri-
bunes, made an harangue in their favour, in a general af-
fembly of the people. He' there publicly declared, that
the nomination of the decemvirs ought to be deferred no
longer ; and added, that if the eleflion of himfelf and his
colleague to the confulate were thought to be any hind-
rance to it, they were both ready to relinquifli their prc-

• Liv. lib. ill,, cap. 32.

tcnfions

tribunes.

9%^ Roman Hiftoty.

tenfions to.that dignity. Appius bad in this condud bis
private views ; he expef^ed^ th^t^ bj the favour of the
tribttn^s^ he (hould be placed at the bead of the decera-*
virs^ and have in that quality a more abfolute authority
than if he had contiamed confuK

The next ftep was, to bring the affair before the fenate.
Menenius (till pretended (icknefs ; but Seftius was pre-
vailed upon, by Appius and Genucius, to affemble die
confcript fathers,. and propofe the nomination of thofe
new magiftrates, which did not pafs without fome oppo*
fition. The patricians did not find their account in eftab-
lifhing thofe laws, the authority of the confuls being much
greater, while they continued to determine caufes in an
arbitrary manner. Many therefore among the fenators
were for adhering to the ancient cuftoms : but Appius^
who had a ftrong party in the afTembly, maintained that
it was highly reafonable, that laws (hould be eftabliflied
equally binding on all cithzens, and equally favourable to
all ; adding, that fuch an eftablifbment would end the
domeftic feuds, which had fo long divided Rome, in fome
meafure, into two cities. The opinion of Appius pre-
vailed 5 and it was refolved, that ten men, venerable for
their age and wifdom, (hould be chofcn to compile a
body of laws out of thofe that had been brought from
Greece. It was likewife decreed, that thefe commif-
fioners (hould, for one whole year, be inverted with the
fovereign power ; that the authority of confuls, tribunes,
jediles, and quseftors (hould ceafe ; that there (houid be
no appeal from the decemvirs ; and laftly, that, during
their adminiftration, they (hould be the folc judges <rf
peace and war, and of all matters of juftice. This is the
firft inftance of fufpcnding the tribunefhip, which, as the
tribunes were not properly magiftrates, had hitherto been
always preferved even under the didiators.

When i|ie ten commifljoners came to be chofen, a niew '
difficulty arofe. The tribunes demanded, that fome ple-
beians (hould be admitted ; but the fenate oppofing with
great unanimity this pretenfion, the tribunes yielded, to
prevent the nomination of the decemvirs from being drop-
ped entirely ; upon condition, that no alteration (hould
be made by the decemvirs in two laws favourable to the
people, namely, the Icilian, which gave the people ground
on the Aventine to build upon, and that of the Mons Sa-
cer, by which the tribunes were appointed to defend and
protefi the people againft the oppreffions of the patricians.
Thefe two articles being agreed upon^ a folemn alTembly

wa«

127

TAi cvnfid
Sefliui of'
fembks tkt
fenate to
create tU^
cemviri

twnofde*
cemmire
emrried hf
a mqforiSf
im if IS ft"
natt.

The tri-
bunes con*
fent to let
them all bt
patrkiantt

128 The Roman Hifiory.

was held of the whole Roman people, conveoed by cen'*
turies ; and the aufpices being taken, they proceeded to
the ele£bion of the decemvirs. Appius Claudius, and bis
colleague T. Genucius, were the nrft named* To them
were added Seftius the conful, who had laid this matter
before the fenate againft his colleague's will ; Sp. Pofthu-
miusy S. Sulpicius and A< Manlius, who had brought the
laws fromGreece ; T. Romilius, the firft who propofed
that deputation ; C Julius, T. Veturius, and P. Horatius,
all confulars> and men of great diftinAion.

Yr. of Fl.

1897.
Ante Chr.

451.
U. C. a97.

Decimnnrs
ereaitd jwr
wutking

/fives
much to the
faiisfaS'tQU
•/the
people*

S E C T. ni.

From the Creation of Decemvirs^ to the Burning of the
City by the Gauls.

'TP HE chufing of decemvirs was almoft as remarkable si
*" revolution in the government of Rome» as that from
kings to confuls. Nothing could be more moderate than
the beginning of this joint reign of the decemvirs. They
agreed, that only one at a time (hould have the fafces
and the other confular ornaments, aflemble the fenate,
and confirm decrees. To this honour they were to fuc-
ceed by turns* each enjoying it one whole day, and then
refigning it to another. The reft, who were not a£tually
exercifmg their authority, aSe£led no diilin£tion but that
of guards, their habits differing very little from thofe of
the other fenators. They repaired every morning, each
in his turn, to their tribunal in the forum ; and there dif-
tributed juftice with fo much impartiality, that the people,
charmed with their condu£t, feemed to have forgot their
tribunes. Appius was the moft popular. He, who had
been formerly a fevere and inflexible magiftrate> was now
all affability and complaifance. He knew moft of the ci-
tizens bytheir names, received them with refpeJl, and fa^
luted them with great marks of aiFedion ; infomuch that,
from being the deteftation he became the idol of the
people, and was looked upon as a fecond Poplicola. Be-
fore the end of the year, each of the decemvirs prefented
to the people that part of the laws which he had com-
piled K

They were affifted in the interpretation of the Greek
tranfcripts by one Hermodorus, bantflicd from Ephefus,

. < Dion. Halicarn. lib. x. p« 68o«-6S4. Liv. lib. ill. cap. jt

.34.
his

^he Roman Htfiory. 129

his native city^ and then accidentally at Rome* When ^i decern^
the work was completed, the decemvirs affembled the '^^^^P^o^
people, and harangued them to this effea : " May the ^tabilsol'^
gods grant, that what* we now prefent to you, Romans, law/
may be equally agreeable and advantageous to the re-
public, to you, and your remotcft pofterity ! Read the
laws we have drawn up. We have ufe^ all the care and
attention poffible ; but, after all, a whole nation muft fee
farther than any ten perfons : examine our laws therefore
in private, make them the fubjeft of your cohverfation ;
confer upon them, and confider what ought to be taken
from them, and what may be added. Nothing that we
have drawn up (hall have the force of a law, till it is re-
ceived with univerfal confent Be you, Romans, rather
the authors than barely the approvers, of laws which
are to eftabliOi order and regularity, and to be the founda-
tion of the happinefs both of the fenate and people." An
addrefs fo modeft and candid was heard with great ap-
plaufe. Immediately the laws were cut in ten tables of
oak, fixed up in the forum, and all who came to ftart any
difficulties about them, well received, and readily heard.
When all neceflary corredions and amendments had been
made, the ten tables were carried before th^ fenate, where
they met with no oppofition ; fo that a decree was paifed 'whieh otm
for convening the centuries for their ratification. This approved
afTembly was foon after held, and the aufpiccs being fo- h^f^^cen^
lemnly taken, the laws were firft confirmed by the unani- tg^^j^ "
mous voice of the whole Roman people, and then tran-
fcribed on pillars of brafs, and ranged in order in the fo-
rum, as the foundation of all judicial determinations, with
regard to public and private affairs ".

As qaany eminent men in the. republic were of opinion, ^hiJecem*
that feveral regulations, which would fill two other tables, "^iralgo-
nifere necefTary to be added to the ten already eflablifhed, ^f^^^J
the continuation of the decemviral government for one fi^, ,„^
year more was propofed in a general affembly of the year.
people, and approved of by the fenate and people with
. equal readinefs, but for different reafons. The fenators
were glad to be uncontrolcd by the tribunes, and the
people extremely defirous to poftponc the reftoration of
the confular dignity. Never was any voffice fo much folin
cited by the graveft and wifpfl fenators, as the decemviratc
at this time. Thofe patricians who were formerly the de*

n DioQ. Hal. Liv. ibid. Cic. Tufc v. 105. Strabo, lib. xlv.
p. 642. Plin. ibid, cap^ 5.

Vol. X. K Glared

I JO

tious viiws
^f Appiuu

Second ie^
lem'viraU*

prefident of
tilt ajfem
bfy, names
himfelfthe
Jirft.

ThrfepU'^
beians cho"
fen at the
m.tion of
App'ius,

The Roman Hifiorj.

dared enemies of the people, and who fcorned to canvafs
for public offices, .were now wholly taken up in flattering
and courting the meaneft of the citizens. Appius, though
a decemvir, forgetting his dignity, debafed himfelf more
than any of the candidates. He was perpetually feen in
public places, with thofe who had been formerly tribunes,
and whom he knew to be agreeable to the people. By
their means he recommended himfelf to the multitude, as
the author of the happinefs they enjoyed under the mild
government of the decemvirs. But Appius himfelf,
when afked by the patricians, whether he defired to be
continued in his office for the next year, afFedied to dlf-
like it, and was continually talking of the uneafinefs that
attends public employments. His colleagues faw into his
deligns, and wifely formed their judgement of him by his
a£bions, and not his words. They obferved, that he
availed himfelf of his popularity in order to leflen the moil
venerable fenators in the efteem of the people ; that he
excluded all men of known merit from (landing at the ap-
proaching ele£lion, by artfully defaming them among the
multitude ; and that, contrary to the pride of the Ciau-
dian family, he aiFe£ted great affiibility and moderation.
All thcfe particulars in his conduct gave great uneafinefs
to his competitors, and rendered him fufpicious to his
colleagues. Thefc latter therefore formed a defign to dif-
appoint him. When the time of the comitia for the crea-
tion of the new decemvirs, drew near, they appointed
Appius to prefide in them ; for the prefident in thcfe af-
femblies propofed to the people the perfons who ftood for
the office in queftion ; and it had never yet been known,
thajt any one had nominated himfelf.

But Appius, contrary to all the rules of decency, pro-
pofed himfelf for the firft decemvir j and the people
readily gave him their fufFrages." The other perfons he
named were all men at his devotion, and fuch as he fa-
voured. The firft of the number was Q^ FabiuS Vibu-
lanus, who had been three times conful, a patrician in-
deed of a charafter hitherto unblameable. After him
were chofen five other patricians ; namely, M. Cornelias,
M. Sergius, L. Minutius, T. Antonius, and M. Rabu-
leius, all men little efteemed in their own body, but in
gre at favour with Appius. But what moft furprifed the
fenate was, that Appius, out of complaifance to the peo-
ple, propofed three plebeians for the decemviral dignity;
nainciy, Q^ Petilius, Caefo Duilius, and Sp. Oppius..
Thefe, though excluded by their birth, and by a late

• agreement

Tke Roman Hjfiory. . 13^

agreement between the patricians and plebeians from this
fupreme magiftracy, were^ by a plurality of voices, added
to the number of the decemvirs. Several men of known
probity and moderation had offered themfelves for can-
didates^ only to exclude thofe whofe behaviour gave
caufe to fufpeft them of fome ill defigns. But thefe Ap-
pius, who prefided at the eleftion, did not fo much as
namei left the people, who were well acquainted with
their merit, (hould prefer them to his creatures ^.

Claudius, feeing himfelf once more at the head of the Tkedecem*
decemvirs, ^hrew off the , maik, and turned his thoughts qjirsre-
wholly on making his domination perpetual. As he go- folw to
verned his colleagues with abfolutc fway before they be- perpituau
can to exercife their office, he infpired thems with his own ^f^'^f^^y"

r • . mi r 1 • . • 1 1 ^» that gO"

fentiments. 1 hey had private meetings every day to de- ^^emmtnt t
liberate on the proper means of perpetuating themfelves
in that dignity. Above all things, they thought it necef-*^
fary, and agreed to eftablifh a good underftanding with
one another. Appius, at their head, direfted all their
proceedings. From that time they appeared referved and i

myfterious, fufFered few perfons to come near them, and
had no intercourfe but with thofe of their own body.
This clofe union and confederacy of ambitious men made
the fenate apprehenfive, that the decemvirs for the enfu-
ing year would behave themfelves very differently from
their predecefTors. When the ides of May came, and the
new decemvirs made their firft appearance, the Romans
were greatly furprifed to fee each appear in the formn
early in the morning, with twelve liftors bearing axes
among their fafces, like thofe that were anciently carried
before the kings, and afterwards before the diftator : fo
that the forum was filled with a. hundred and twenty lie-
tors. This was a dreadful fight to Rome, the people prog-
nofticating from thence, that this would be a year of ty-
ranny and injuftice. And they were foon made fenfible,
that their fears were not groundlefs. The decemvirs be- and reign
gan to teign imperioufly, and with a defpotic power, mperhujjy.
They were always furrounded, not only by the numerous
train of their li£lors, but alfo by a crowd of.defperate
men, loaded with debts, and guilty of the black^ll crimes.
Many young patricians, preferring licentioufnefs to liberty,
made their court to them in the moft abjedl manner, in
order to fcreen themfelves from juftice, and efcapc, by
their favour, the punifhment due to their crimes. No

w Liv. lib. iii. cap* 35— i7»

K a man'g

132 ^he Roman Hijlory.

man's life or property was any longer fafe. The young
patricians, fupporters of the ten tyrants, were not afliam-
. cd, upon the mod frivolous pretences, to Cake pofleflion
of their neighbours eftates \ and when application was
made to the decemvirs for redrefs, the complainants were
treated with contempt, and their complaints rejefted. An
inconfiderate word, or an expreflion of concern at the re-
membrance of their ancient liberty, was a capital crime.
Some of the chief citizens were fcourged, for complain-
ing of the prefent adminiftraiion ; others were banifhed,
and foiAe even put to death, and their goods confifcated.
Th€ new tyrants vented their fury chiefly upon the peo-
ple, treating them more like flaves than Roman citizens.
As for the patricians, moft of them, dreading the tyranny
of the decemvirs, gave way to the ftorm, and retired into
the country for the remaining part of the year. • They
hoped that the tempeft would ce^e with the annual power
of the decemvirs *.

At length the ides of May, the. time fixed for holding
the comitia, in order to elect new magiftrates, drew near;
but the decemvirs, inftead of aflembling the people, pro-
Two WW pofed two new tables of laws, the firft relating to religion,
Y °jj A ^"^ ^^ worfhip of the gods^ the fecond to marriages, and
uthettn. the right of hufbands. Thcfe made up the number of
the Twelve Tables, which the Romans preferved ever after
as a facred depofitum. Notwithftanding the hatred the
public bore to the decemvirs, they found little to objed
to their laws ; the laft only, forbidding patricians and ple-
beians to intermarry, feemed an artful iuvention to keep
the two parties alwavs divided, that they might reign with
more fccurity. In tne mean time the ides of May pafled,
without a comitia for the eleftion of new magiftrates.
The tyrants then (hewed themfelvcs openly, and, in op-
pofition to the fenate and people, retained their power
"tht tvran- without any other title than pofleflion and violence. All
nicaigo' who gave them umbrage were profcribed ; and many
7r^'ji worthy citizens, retiring from their country, took refuge
cmviru ^"^ong ^^e Latins and Hemici. The people, groaning
under fo cruel a tyranny, applied to the fenate as their
only refuge. But the fenators, inftead of comforting thcmi
took pleafure in feeing them oppreflfed, and bearing a
great (liare in the misfortunes they had occafioned. When
any plebeian complained to them, they malicioufly refer-
red him to Claudius> that idol, whom they had fet up^

'Liv. lib. ill* cap. 38.

and

Th Roman Hifiory. L33

and preferred to fo many illuftrious defenders of their
CQUBtry, C. Claudius, concerned to fee his nephew be-
come the tyrant of his country, went feveral times to his
houfe, with an intention to reprove him, and remind him.
of the glorious examples left him by his anceftors. But
Applus, gueffing his errand, conftantly eluded him, by
giving orders to his domeftics, that none {hould be ad-
mitted but the fupporters and parmers of his tyranny y.

In the mean time, the Sabines and ^qui, hearing of The Roman
the weak condition of the republic, and difdaining to live i^rntories
fubjea to a city which had loft her own liberty, invaded '^^.''satin'^,
the Roman territory, and advanced within a few miles of andtht '^^^
Rome. This unexpe£ted invafion alarmed the decemvirs. JEquL
It was neceflary to make head againft the enemy ; but the
difficulty was, how to raife an army, when the people
were dinatisfied with their governors. In this perplexity They emm
tjiey refolved to aflemble the fenate, and endeavour to 'f^'nethg
prevail with the confcript fathers to interpofe their autho- -^^^^^ '*
rity, and make a decree: for legal levies. The people were ^f^^gfir
Ijirprifed to hear a proclamation made in the forum for the Uvjing
the fenatpirs to ipeet. ** We ;are indebted (faid they), to of troops.
our enemies for the appearance of this iingle fpark of our
ancient liberty." But when the decemvirs repaired to the
fenate^ they found none but their own creatures there..
The others had retired to their country-feats ; and thither
the decemvirs fent mefTengers, fummoning then^ to appear
on a day appointed. Moft of them obeyed the fummons,
and returned to Rome, but with views very different from
thofe of the ufurpers.

Appius, in a ftudied harangue, reprefented the danger
which thrpaten^ed the republic frpm the Sabines and the
JEt\}Xiy and defircd a decree for levies without delay. He
had fcarce finiflied his fpeech, when L. Valerius Potitus
rofe up to fpeak, without waiting till it came to his turn.
He was the grandfon of the famous Valerius Poplicola, -
and fon of that Valerius who was flain at the head of the
Romans, fighting againft Herdonius the Sabine. Appius,
apprehending he was going to propofe fomething contrary
to the intereft of the decemvirs, fternly commanded him
to fit down, till fenators, older than himfelf, and more
confiderable in the republic, had declared their opinions.
But the brave Valerius, defpifing his command, complain- ^* '^^^'wi
cd of his pride and infolence, in prefuming to irapofe ^^^^^^^^.
Qlence upon a fenator, contending for the liberty of the *

y Dion, Hal. lib. xi. p. 684—715. LiVr lib. iii» cap. 3^» 44«

K 3 common*

134 ^^^ Roman Hiftory. *

commonwealth : he laid open the confpiracy they had all
formed againft the republic ; and called upon Fabitis, one
of the decemvirs, as a man of jnftice and probity, to un-
dertake the defence of his oppreffed country, telling him,
that on him chiefly the fenatc turned its eyes. Fabius,
overwhelmed with (bame and corifufion, made no anfwer.
But Appius, and the other decemvirs, darting up from
their feats in a great rage, furrounded Valerius, and ob-
liged him to be filent. Such an extraordinary infult raifed
a tumult in the afTembly, mod of the fenators being pro-
voked at the haughty behaviour of the decemvirs, but non^
move than M. Horatius Barbatus, the grandfon of that
Horatius who had been conful with Poplicola.
and is fe- As he was an intimate friend of Valerius, and ammat-
londfd by cd With the fame zeal for liberty, he could no longer bear
M.-Hora- the infolence of Appius, and his colleagues ; but ftancBng
tius Bar- ^^^ called them the Tarquins, and tyrants of their coun-
try. •* What hinders us (faid he), from immediately
executing the fame vengeance on the new Tarquins,
which our anceftors took on the former tyrants ? To re-
ftore liberty to Rome, is an hereditary honour in the fa-
milies of the Valerii and Horatii. It is not the name of
a king that makes a tyrant." He was proceeding in this
ftrain, when the decemvirs, furrounding him, drowned
his voice with their clamours, threatening to have him
thrown headlong from the Tarpeian rock, if he did not
inftantly hold his peace. But when they perceived, that
the fenate in general exprefled uncommon reftntment at
their tyrannical proceedings, they repented of having im-
pofed (ilence upon thofe who were inclined to fpeak.
Appius, when the tumult was appeafed, declared to the
aifembly, that it was not the intention of the decemvirs
to prevent, by any violence, the c'onfcript fathers from
delivering their opinions ; but that it was neceflary to con-
form to the ordinary method, which was, that every one
fliould fpeak in his turn, and confine himfelf to the fub-
je£l propofed. He added, that whatever Horatius might
imagine, the commiffion of the decemvirs was limited to
no period but that of the eftablifhment of the laws 5 that
they would not lay down their office till the twelve tables
were fettled in due form ; and that then they would give
an account of their adminiftration. ** But till that be done,
(continued he), we will fteadily maintain and execute the
offices of confuls'and tribunes, which are united in us.
1 hen turning to his uncle, C. Claudius, he dcfired him
to fpeak with freedom concerning the levies. But hc^

without

, 7he Roman Hifiory^ i j5

without confining himfelf to that fubjeft, jn a loisg ha- ^- daiuins
rangue, imputed all the misfortunes of the ftate to the ^f^^^'^^l
ufurpation and tyranny of the decemvirs ; exhorted the Appius '^
fenators to infift on their being depofed \ and, in a very iviih gnat
pathetic ilrain, urged his nephew to abdicate an authority freedom,
which was become intolerable to a free people. Appius
difdained to give his uncle any anfwer; but M. Cornelius
fpoke for him ; and applying himfelf dircftly to C. Clau-
dius, ** We do not want your advice (faid he), to direft
our conduft : if you would give particular counfels to
your nephew, go to his houfe : the only affair in queftion
here is the war with the Sabines and iEqui : tell us, in
plain terms, your opinion concerning the levies."

Claudius rofe a fecond time ; and, turning to the fenate,
" Since n^y nephew (faid he), will not condefcend to fpeak
to me, either in his own houfe^ or in full fenate, and I am
fo unhappy as to fee the tyrant of my country arife out of
my own family; I declare, confcript fathers, that I am re- « .
folved to retire to Regillus* I banifli myfelf from Rome, fy^^j^ ^J^g^
and make an oath never to enter it again, unlefs our li-
berty be reftored* However, to fulfil the obligation I lie
under, of givmg my opinion with relation to the prefent
bufinefs, I am for coming to no determination concerning
the levies, till confujs are chofen to lead them/' His opinion
was followed by Quindius Cincinnatus, Quinftius Capitd* The m>fi
)inus, and L. Lucretius, all confular perfods, and by the 'w'w*^/^*
chief men in the fenate. L. Cornelius, in an harangue ^^'^^^ f'*
which he had concerted beforehand, with his brother M. gainftatn
Cornelius, one of the decemvirs, imputed the enmity of Unjies of
the old fenators againft the decemvirate to envy, and pri- droops tiU
vate refentment, for having been themfelves difappointed ^^Z?*^"^'
in their endeavours to obtain that office. He urged the a^g^-^*'
danger of lofing time in difputes about new magiftrates,
when the enemy was almoft at the gates of Rome ; and
reprefented, that it was impoffible to come to a new elec-
tion in lefs than twenty-feven days, during which, the
city might be befieged, and reduced to the utmoft extre-
mity. His fpeech was highly applauded by the creatures
of the decemvirs ; and even fome of the oldeft Senators
were for granting levies, hoping, that, when the war was
finiihed, the abdication of the decemvirs would quietly
follow of courfe, and the government revolve into the
hands of the confuls. Appius, feeing with pleafure, that
the majority were for granting him, and his colleagues, a . ™ 'J^-
power to raife levies, afked, for form's fake, the opinion J^^^^ ^/
of Valerius, on whom he had impofed filence in the be- carried by

K 4 ginning amajorhj.

*36

ftJany of
the Sena '
tors retire

rhilf
eftates cCHr
fifcated by
AppifP.

*th iieeemf
virs march
ni^ainfi the

The Roman Hiftory.

ginning of the afiembly. Valerius^ lifing up, propofed
the creating of a ditiator, an expedient which had been
fo fuccefsfuUy praftifed on many occafions. AU the fe-
nators, who had fpoke after Valerius, declared for this
motion, as did alfo many of thofe who had before voted
for the continuation of the decemvirate ; and a. warm dif*
pute. arofe, with much clamour and tumult. Appius,
taking advantage of the diforder, ftept forth into the
midfl: of the aflembly, and exclaimed aloud, that the
fuffrages had been gathered, and that the opinion of Cor-?
nelius had prevailed. He then ordered the decree of the
fenate, which he had brought with him ready drawn up,
and which empowered the decemvirs to raife troops, to
be ready in the afiembly; and, immediately difmiffing
the fenators, withdrew*.

The authority of the decemvirs being now more formi-
dable than ever, the mod timorous among the citizens
became as fubmifiive and complying as the tyrants could
wifli ; others fought an afylum ia the country, or among
the neighbouring nations. Appius, enraged to fee the
heft men in the republic abandon the city, placed guards
at all the gates to prevent their efcape. But finding
that this precaution only increafed the number of the
malcontents, and fearing a general revolt, he removed the
guard, and left every one free to retire : but, to be re*
venged on thofe who withdrew, he confifcated their ef-
fe£tsi or beflowed them on his ruffians and partifans. As
for Valerius and Horatius, they (laid at Rome ; and, hav-
ing affembled in their houfes a great number of their
clients and friends, to fecurc them againft the violence of
the decemvirs, held private aflemblies to concert raeafures
for reftoring liberty to the commonwealth.

In the mean time the decemvirs raifed ten legions, the
people, deftitute of their tribunes, being forced to lift
themfelves. Q^ Fabius, with two other decemvirs, <^
Petilius, and M. Rabuleius, marched againft the Sabine^,
at the head of three legions. M. Cornelius, L. Minutius,
M. Sergius, -T. Antonius, and C. Duilius, all decemvirs,
led five legions againft the >£qui. Appius and Oppius
remained with two legions in the city, to keep in awe '
the domeftic enemy, more formidable to thefe magiftrates
than the Sabines and -^qui. The people, of whom the
legions were compofed, regretting the lofs of their li-
befty, would not conquer \ but fuffcred the enemy to gain

? Pion. HaK Liv, ibid«

gre^t

f}?e Roman Hijloryl ^ 137

^reat advantages over them, and, at laft, feigning a fudden ^ht Rmam
fright, difperfed in the night, and returned into the Ro- fiUiirsfuJ^
man territory. Appius did not fail to fend recruits and -^ '^^
provifions to his .colleagues, exhorting them to keep the gJngreui
foldiers in awe by the terror of puniflbments, or, in cafe ad'uaH^
that feverity might be dangerous, to deftroy, by private tagis9vtr
means, the moil mutinous ; and he himfelt fct them an ^"^
example •.

The famous Sicinitis Dentatus being returned from the Sktmuf
camp, filled the city with his complaints againil the de- fi'/!^lf^L^
cemvirs, exaggerating the faults they had committed in \^jf^ ^^
the management of the war. Appius fent for him, dif- piaints
courfed with him feveral times, and, defiring him to ogMnfi tXs
fpeak with freedom^ examined him concerning the con- ^cimvirs,
iuQ: of the decemvirs. Sicinius, without referve, blamed
the proceedings of Fabius and the other generals. Ap-
pius,. pretending to admire his wifdom, prevailed upon
him to affift Fabius with his advice ; and, to deceive him
the more eilediually, he dignified him with the character
of envoy or legate, which not only gave him the authority
of a general, but made his perfon facred and inviolable*
As true valour is a ft ranger to jealoufy and diftruft, the
brave Sicinius embraoed the opportunity of ferving his
country, and repaired to the camp with all fpecd ; where
the decemvirs, inftrufted by Appius, received him with
outwards marks of great joy ; and confulted him, foon
after his arrival, on the operations of the campaign. Si-
cinius advifed them to remove their camp into the enemy's
country, for many reafons, which he explained. Fabius
accordingly commiilioned him to view the fituation of the
country, and mark out the ground for a new encampment*
He appointed him a hundred chofcn men, light-arnved, to
be his guard ; but this guard confifted only of rufiians,
who had fecret orders to difpatch him. Sicinius, not
fufpedinjg the leaft treachery, led them into the narrow
pafles between the mountains 5 and there they took the
opportunity of falling upon him when he could not make
hisefcape. The brave veteran, perceiving their defign'^
drew his fword, and fet his back againft a rock, that he
might not be attacked behind ; then, furamoning all his
valour, he laid fifteen of the aflailants- dead at his feet^
and wounded above thirty more. The bafe aflaffins, now
no longer daring to clpfe with him, ftood at a diftance^
and difcharged .-their darts at him; which he avoiding

> l4V> lib. ill. cap. 4«.

with

13^ "The Roman Hijioty.

with great dexterity, fome of them^ climbing op to the
Behirea" ^P ®^ ^^^ ^°^^» ^"^°* thence overwhelmed him with
€kerouJly ftones. Having thus accomplifiied their infanious aim,
mtrdind. they went back to the camp, where they reported, that
they had been attacked by the enemy, and that Sxcinius
had been killed in the a£tion.
Ws murder Bijt when the foldiers, who marched to bring ofF the body
difeo^uired ', of Sicil»H§, came to the place of the pretended battle,
*JhJ^dto *^y^ obferved,. that the flain were all Romans, and that
^f^Qit. ' *^^y ^^y wnftripped with their faces towards him* This
circumftance made them fufpefl, that Sicinius bad been
murdered by his guard ; and raifed loud complaints, and
a general difcontent throughout the camp. The whole
army, in the greateft fury, demanded that the affaffins
might be brought to juftice ; but the decemvirs facilitated
their efcape, and caufed the body of Sicinius to be h(H
nourably interred, left the foldiers ffaould convey it to
Rome, and there raife new difturbances. The difcon-
tent which fo odious a treachery produced in the arm^,
xofe to fuch a height, that the greater part of the fokliera
began to think in earned of throwing off the yoke, and
leftoring their country to its ancient liberty \
Jpphs Appius, as we have obferved ahosre, remained at home,

Ciwdiusf with a body of troops, to keep the city in awe, while his
'^f ^i'T colleagues marched againft the Sabines and JEqui, As he
hl^hw ^^^ ^*y repaired to his tribunal, he obferved a young vir^
with Vir^ gi^ ^^ extraordinary beauty ; and was captivated by her
gma, charms. It was then cuftomary at Rome for young peri

fons of both fexes to purfue fuch ftudies as were proper
for them, in public fchools ere£ted in the forum ; and in
oneofthefeit was that Appius firft faw.this beautiful
young woman. As his office obliged him to appear fre-
quently in the forum, this fevere magiftrate was obferved
to ftop when he paffed by the fchodl of the young virgins^
and view fome objeft with marks of uncommon pleafure.
The perfon, who thus drew his attention, was the daugh-
ter of L. Virginius, famous for his probity and valour.
Though he was a plebeian, he made a confiderable figure
in the troops, and had led feveral detachments in the pre-?
feint war with the jEqui, as commander in chief. His
daughter's name was Virginia. . Her mother, Numitoria,
heing dead, her father Virginius, upon his departure for
the army, committed her to the care of an uncle by her
Diother's fide, who e^prefied for her all the affedion of ^

^ Ziv. lib. iii. cap. 43.

father*

The Roman Hijiofy. l^g.

father. She was marriageable $ and Virginius had pro*
mifed her to Iciliusj who had been tribune of the people.
In the mean time the decemvir, conceiving a violent pa£»
iion for her, refolved at all adventutes that it fhould be
gratified. He would willingly have married her ; but he
had a wife already, and, though divorces were allowed
bylaw, yet there had never been any inftance of a hu&
band's exerting this power. Polygamy was ftridly for-
bidden ; beGdes, Appius had paned a law, prohibiting all
marriages between patricians and plebeians ; fo that he
had no room to hope the accomplifhment of his vnihes,
but by debauching the young maid. He therefore endea- //> gndea*
voured to corrupt, with large prefents, and great ofFers, ^vours, im
Virginia's nurfe or governefs^ But Ihc rejefted his offers *'^'*» '•
vrtth the utmoft indignation, and kept a more watchful l^'Jj?'"*''
eye over her charge than ever.

The amorous tyrant had rccourfe to another ftratagem, He cou"
the execution of which he entrufted to M. Claudius, one tri^vtsa
of his clients, an infamous wretch, fit for* any villainous A«'^,?«»
cnter^rize. This minifter of the decemvir's paflion, tak- %f^]^i^
ing with him a band of profligate fellows, entered the ^otv^«
fchool where Virginia was, and, feizing her by the arm^
decWfed that (he was the daughter of one of his flaves,
and therefore belonged to him. As he was carrying her
to his houfe, with all the authority which the law gave
to a matter over his fugitive flave, the people flocked about
him, and, touched with fo moving a fight, obliged him
to fet her at liberty. Claudius, finding he could not exe-
cute his firft defign, cited her to appear before the decem-
vir ; and (he, by the new laws, was obliged to follow him
to the tribunal. Appius, being alone upon the bench,
was juft ready to adjudge her to the claimant, as his law-
ful flave, when the people cried out with one voice, that
Virginia's relations ought firft to be heard. Appius dared
not refufe to fufpend the feutcnce till fome of the prU
Toner's relations appeared. The firft who came was Nu-
mitorius, the uncle of the young woman^ attended by a
great number of his friends and relations. Upon his
arrival Claudius renewed his claim, founded on a lye con-
certed between him and the judge ; he pretended, that
Virginia was born in his houfe of a flave belonging to
him ; and that her mother had given her to Numitoria,
the wife of Virginius ; and that Numitoria had imjpofed
the child upon her hufband, and made Virginia pais for
his daughter. He added, that he would foon produce un-
deniable teftimonics of what he advanced \ that, in the

mean

I40

JbptUM
mrtfutfy
dtudestki

Itttms^ to

vkam Vir*
gimia had
kien pr^
mtfid i»
marriagt,
Jpiritj up
tki people.

The Roman Hifiovyi

mean timcy it was but juft a Have fliould go ^th her
mafter ; and that he would pive fecurity to produce the
young womani when Virginius, her pretended father^^
lenirned from the war. Numitorius reprefented, tha^ it
was unjuft to difpute a citizen's right to his child^ when
he was not prefenc to aflert it ; adding, that Virginitts»
who was now ferving bis country in the camp, would not
fail to be at Rome in two days \ and that it was reafonable;
her uncle, who had the care of her perfon, fhould, in the
mean time, be the guardian of her honour. This demand^
he faid, was conformable to the laws, which ordainedn
that while the law-fuit was depending, the plaintiff (hould
not difturb the defendant in his pofTemon.

This law Appius eluded, by artfully obferving^ that, in
theprefent difpute, there were two circumftance« which
altered the cafe. " Here^faid he) are two perfons claim-
ing \ one as a father, the other as a mafter : if the pre-
tended father were prefent, he, indeed, oueht to be
allowed the pofleiTion ; but, he being abfent, the perfon
who claims her as his flave ought to be preferred to any
ether, provided he gives good fecurity to produce her
again at the return of the perfon who is called her father.^'
On this principle he ordered Virginia to be put into the
hands of Claudius. The iniquity of the judgment incenf-*
ed all who were prefent. The women, who furrounded
Virginia, made fuch outcries, that they were heard at a
great diftance. They furrounded, and feemed refolute to
defend her. At that inftant Icilius, to whom 0ie bad
been promifed in marriage, arrived, and^ breaking
through the croud, forced his way to the tribunal. A
liAor endeavoured to oppofe his paflage, exclaiming, that
fentence was already pafled. But nothing could ftop th^
impetuous lover: he took Virginia in his arms; and, ad-
dreffing himfclf to Appius, " No, Appius, (he cried),
nothing but death ihall feparate me from Virginia. Add
my murder to the many crimes with which thou art
already polluted* Aflemble all thy lidors, and thofe of
thy colleagues, . I will defend her honour to my laft
breath< Have you deprived us of the proteftion of our
tribunes, only to fubjc£t our wives and our daughters
|o violation? Proceed to ezercife your rage upon our
eftates and live^ ; but fpare the chaftity of our virgins.
If any attempt be made upon the honour of Virginia, I
call tne gods to witiiefs, that it (ball not go unrevenged.
What will not Virginius be able to do in the ^rmy, an^
Icilius among the jpeopl^i when the one is to re^veiige thq

cauf;

7%e Rman Hiftory. 141

caafe oi an injured wife, and the other of a diflionoured
daughter ?*' While he thus gave venr to his indignation,
the lidors were ordered to drive him away, and to feize
Virginia.

But the people, moved with his misfortune and courage. The officers
fell upon the officers of the decemvir, difpcrfed them, and ofthede-
obliged Claudius to take refuge under the tribunal. Ap- ^emvvri^-'
pius, feeing the people much incenfed againft him, called P^f^^
his client to him, whifpered in his ear, and then, having
caufed filence to be madie, " It is not (faid he) the fury
of the violent Icilius, which makes me comply, but the
entreaties of Claudius, my client. He is willing to give
up the right he has to carry home his flave, and to com-
mit her to the fame hands in which flie was before. At
his requeft I will wait for Virginius' return till to-mor-
row. Let his friends take care to give him notice. If
Yirginius does not appear at the time appointed, I would
have Icilius know, that I (hall not want any affiftance
from my colleagues to put my decree in execution.**
When he had thus decreed, Claudius defired that Icilius
might- give bail for producing Virginia the next day ; and
this was given accordingly, all the people then prefent of-
fering eagerly to be. his fecurity. Icilius and Numitorius Firgtmut^
immediately difpatched meffengers to bring Virginius froni the father
the camp. Appius, at the fame time, fent a courier with ^f^trpnim^
orders to the generals to put him under arreft : but the ^^^*J^
other meflcngers were more expeditious. Virginius, upon <a«i«
notice of his daughter's danger, had left the army, and
was fo fortunate as to efcape two parties, which were fent,
one from the camp, and the other from the city, to fe-
cure his perfon. He appeared next morning in the fo- Ue arrii;it
rum, leading his daughter, in deep mourning, attended * at Rome.
by a great number of matrons of diftin£lion. He addrcffed
himfdf to his fellow-citizens, and uttered his complaints
with an air of dignity, which feemed rather to demand
than implore afliftance. Icilius broke into the throng,
inveighed loudly againft Appius, and endeavoured to tranf-
fufe his own refentment into every breaft : but the filent
tears of the women, who attended Virginia, aSeded the
multitude more than any words that could be uttered.

Appius was greatly furprifed to hear that Virginius
was in the forum; Full of rage,, he repaired thither,
and afcended his tribunal, furrounded by a numerous
crowd of his dependents and creatures. Claudius fpdke
the firft, renewed his claim, and produced the flaye,
whom he had fuboraed to declarC) that (he was the Mo-
ther

1^2 The Roman Hifiory.

tber of Virginia, and that (he had fold her to tlie urife .of

Virginius. Several other witncffes appeared to atteft the
fame fa£t, all gained with great promifes by Appius, and
his client Claudius.
ni impof- The friends and relations of Virginia urged the little
ture o) probability of Numitoria's impofing a chUd upon her.
Claudius hufband. He had married her, when (he was very young,
*^ "^' and was almoft of the fame age with her. Virginia was
*''^* • born foon after the marriage. ** Where was the necef-
(ity then, (faid they), for Numitoria's pra£lifing fuch a
fraud as is pretended ? Befides, if (he had proved barren,
and had defigned to introduce a ftranger into her family,
why ihould £e have chofen the child of a Have rather t£an
of a free woman ? Why a girl, when (he might as eafily
have had a boy ? Befides, was it probable, that a con-
trivance, carried on by fo many p c r liMra, ihould continue
fo long a fecret ? Wo«ld not the flave have made her
court to her mafter, as foon as Numitoria was dead, by
«lifcovering a fecret to him, which would have put him in
pofiei&on of a young woman well educated, and of extraor-
dinary beauty r Why was this myftery kept undifcovercd
till Appius was decemvir, fince the flave, for a long time
paft, could have no intereft in concealing it ?" Tp thefe

Erefumptions Virginius added undeniable proofs, and
rought fome of the moft confiderable women in Rome,
who depofed, fome that they had feen Numitoria when
ihe was big with child ; others, that they had afllifted at
her labour ; nay, divers individuals declared, that they
had feen her fuckle young Virginia, which ihe could not
have done, had ihe been barren, as Claudius pretended,
dppius Appius, obferving that thefe unanfwerable proofs made

makes him^ a great impreiTion upon the multitude, interrupted the
ftlfaivit* evidence 5 and commanding iilence, iignified, that he
'JfJr' himfelf had fomething to fay. All the people littcned
* with attention, being anxious to know what he could ob-
. je£): againft fo many witneiTes of unqueftionable credit.
He then fpoke to this effefk : " I muft acquaint you, Vir-
ginius, and all who are prefent, that this is not the firfl
time I have heard of this affair. Claudius's father re-
vealed the fecret to me at his death, when he made me
his fon's guardian. Afterwards I examined into the matter,
and found it to be true. However, I did not thi^ik it bc-
^ came me to meddle in an affair of this nature ; and there-
fore left it to my pupil to recover his right, or to agree
with the parties concerned, when he ihould come of age.
But now that the caufe is brought before me in judge-
ment;

^e Roman H^lory.

meiit^ being obliged to give fentence according to my
own perfonal knowlege, I declare, both as judge ahd wit-
nefs, that the young woman belongs to Claudius ; and my
fen.tence is, that ihe be delivered up to him as his proper-
ty." Virginius, provoked to the higheft degree at fo un-
juft and cruel a fentence, was no longer mailer of him-
felf. He trembled with rage, and, with a menacing air
exclaii|ied, ** Infamous wretch, I never defigned my
daughter for thee ; I educated her for - a lawful hufband,
and not to be a prey to a luftful raviiher. Mud then
brutal pai&ons among us take the place of honourable
iTiarriages ! How the citizens here will . bear with thefe
things, I know not ; but I truft, that the army will re-
venge my wrongs." At thefe words the people fct up st
loud cry of indignation, as if they were determined to
oppofe the execution of Appius's decree. But the decem-
vir, having firft caft his eyes on all fides, to obferve his
ftrength, and how his friends were polled, told the mul-
titude, with g threatening voice, that he was not unac-
quainted with the plots that had been laid to caufe an in-
furre£lion ; but that he neither wanted power nor refolu-
tion to inflt£l exemplary punifhments on fuch as fliould
oiFer to difturb the public peace, ** Let every one, there-
fore, (faid he), retire to his own houfe, and none pre-
. fume to give law to a fupreme magiftrate. As for you,
Claudius, (added he), feize your ijave, and make uie of
my guard to difperfe the crowd." At thefe words, ut-
tered with an imperious tone, the multitude fell back ;
and left Virginia (landing by herfelf, a helplefs prey to
injuftice and brutality.

The unfortunate father, feeing there was no other re-
medy, drew near Appius, and> in a fuppliant manner,
addreiTed. him thus : *^ Pardon, Appius, the unguarded
words, which have efcaped me in my firft tranfports of
grief ; and allow me, to aik, in the young woman's pre- '
fence, fome.queftions of her nurfe, that I may carry home
at leaft the comfort of being fet right in this matter.'*
Appius readily granted his requeft ; while Virginius, taking
his daughter in his arm3, and wiping the tears, in which
. ihe was all bathed, drew near to fome ihops, which were
in the forum. There he fnatched up a butcher's knife,
and, turning to Virginia, ** My dear daughter, (faid he)
thi^ is the only way to fave thy liberty, and thy bonour.
Go, Virginia, go to thy anceftors, whilft thou art yet a
free woman, pure and undefiled.'* With thefe words he
.plunged the knife into her heart; then drawing it out,

reeking

>43

Mfiddicrgts
Virginia t9
his client*

Fir^iM
addrejfis
Appius in
aJuppliMi
manner^

thi honour
of his
daughter^
fiabs hir*

M4

Thesty is
$M great

€9mm9tion.

ni decern'
vir it .
Mi^ed to
retire.

The Roman Hijory.

reeking with her blood, and turning to Appiud, ** By Ms
blood, (he cried), I devote thy head to the infernal gbds !"
The decemvir immediately ordered him to be fei^ed;
but he, with the knife in his hand, made his way through
the crowd, ruflied out of the city, and, mounting his
horfe, took the road to the camp. In the mean time Nu-
mitorius and Icilius. ftaying by the dead body of Virgi-
nia, and (hewing it to the people, raifed a great commo-
tion in the city. As for Appius, he feemed to have quite
loft his reafon ; inftead of endeavouring to pacifv the mul-
titude, he retired to his own houfe, and from tnence fent
his lifiors to feize krilius, and carry away the dead body.
But the people oppofed the execution of his orders, and,
falling upon the lifiors, broke their fafces, and drove them
out- of the forum.

Notwithftanding this repulfe the decemvir had the bold-
nefs to come in perfon, attended by a chofen company of
young patricians, to fupport his authority. But Valerius
and Horatius, thofe fwom enemies of the decemvirs,
putting themfelves at the head of their friends and clients,
obliged him to retire. In this perplexity, Appius haf-
tened to the temple of Vulcan; and there pretending
to a£t the part of a tribune of the people, demanded that
Valerius and Horatius (hould be thrown headlong from
the Tarpeian rock. But his harangue was often inter-
rupted with hifles; and in the mean time Valerius, hav-
ing caufed the body of Virginia to be carried to the top
of a flight of fteps, whence it might be feen by the peo-
ple, inveighed againft Appius from that eminence ; thus
there were two affemblies, and two orators, in diflierent
parts of the forum, declaiming againft each other.. Ap-
pius's auditors foon left him, to ffo to Valerius ; then the
decemvir, terrified at the defertion of many of his crea-
tures, withdrew, and, hiding his face with his robe, took .
refuge in a neighbouring houfe. At that jundure, Op-
pius, the plebeian decemvir, ruihed into the forum, to
defend his colleague ; but finding that the party of Ho-
ratius and Valerius was the ftrongeft, he judged, that the
wifeft method, in the prefent exigence, was to convene
the fenate. This ftep immediately quieted the multi-
tude ; for they hoped, that the decemvirate would in-
ftantly be abolifhed. The fenators then in Rome, being
all friends to the decemvirs, ordered the people to behave
themfelves peaceably, and commiflioned fome young
members of their body to go to the camp near Mount^ Al-

gidus,

The Rman Hiftory. i^^

gidus, and prevent the fedition which Virginius might
raife among the troops ^

This unhappy father bad entered the camp, attended by. yirpimuf
four hundred citizens, and holding the bloody knife in fin up th$
hand. The foldiers, at this ftrange fight, flocked to him arny^
from all quarters, when he, ftahding on an eminence,
while the tears ftreamed down his cheeks, related to them
the plot laid by Appius againft his daughter's honour and
liberty, and the cruel method he had been forced to take
for the prefervation of her chaftity. The centurions and
foldiers, fired with indignation, affiired him, that they
were determined to fupport him in what he fbould under-
take againft fo wicked a tyrant. The decemvirs, who com- ^
manded the army, being informed of Virginius' return,
and the difpofition of the foldiers, attempted to feize
the former, and appeafe the latter. But the foldiers, re- 'fheyre*
fufing to pay any obedience to the orders of men whom turn to
they looked upon as ufurpers and tyrants, flew to their Rof^e, re»
arms, fnatched up their enfigns, and took the way to ^^^Z'*^**
Rome, which they reached about evening, and entered rah^aind
without making the leaft difturbance. They marched $ncamp9m
quietly through the city to Mount Aventine, and there Mount
intrenched themfelves, declaring, that they would not -^^«^^'«'»
lay down their arms till the decemyirate was abolifhed,
and the tribunefhip reftored. In this exigency, Oppius
convened the fenate (for Appius was afraid to appear in
public) ; and the confcrlpt fathers agreed to fend three of
their body to the army, to afk, why they had left the
camp without orders, and what their intent was in pof*-
(efling themfelves of Mount Aventine. As the troops had
not yet chofcn a leader, they cried out, " Let Valerius
and Horatius be fent to us ; we will return an anfwer to
the fenate by them." When the three coinmiflioners
were gone, Virginius advifed them to choofe leaders to
govern them, and manage their concerns. Agreeable to T^en miH"
his advice, ten perfons were ele£ledi under the name of '«t7 ''^-
Military Tribunes. The army was defirous to have Vir- *f^' .
ginius at the head of them ; but he declined the honour.
" My daughter (faid he) is dead, and I have not yet re-
venged her death : no kind of honour will become me,
till her manes are appeafed. Befides, whs^t prudent or
moderate counfels can you exped): from me, who am ib
incenfed againft the tyrants? I (hall be of more fervice to
the common caufe, by a&ing in it as a privaie man."

c Diodor. Sic lib. xii. cap. iC'^Z^. Liv, liU lil, <iap. 44— 49<
VoL.X. L I»

i4iS

n^ two

Reman ar»

ne two
armigs r#-
meiJe to
MofuSa-

ne fiimto^
re/ohft^t»
aboli/h the
Jictrnvi"
rati.

VaUriut
and Mora-

Hfailwith
tht army
to return
to Rome,

The kemoH flifiory.

In tke mean tilne, the tbree kgiom ftnt aga^nft tfie Sa*
bines, inftigated by Numitorius and IcilfU9, abftiidonecl
their generidsi am) having, aft^r tly* example oFtheotber
forces* chofen ten milhary tribunes, marched (hrb<igh the
city^ and |oiAed 'Ac legions oti the Aventine. The two
armies, thus united, commiffioned their tv^nt^ ttj6une9
to eleft two out of their number to be fnpreme over aM $
and the choice fell upon M. Oppius and Sextus Manifius.
In' the mean tin\e the fenate aflembled every day, but
fpent the whole time in debates, without coming to anf
refolution. At length it was carried by a raajonty cf
▼oices, that Valerius and Horatius flK)uM be lent to tke
revolted army ; but they protefted, that they wouki not
come to any reWution while the decemvirs were nKiftera
of the government. The two armies, tired with thefe de-
lays, . removed their camp to the Sacred Mount, where
they entrenched themfelves, and obfcrved the fame good
difcTpHne as their anceftors had formerly maintained in the
fame pkce. In this decampment they' were followed by
fttch numbers of citizens, with their wives and chlldTcn,
that Rome appeared to be deferted.

The fcnatofs, furprifed to fee the ftreets fo thin of^ peo-
ple, refohred ta aboliih the deeemvirate, to rt^ore to the
people their tribunes, and to the fenate its confuls. The
decemvirs, finding they could not retain their authority
any lor^r, defired that they might not be fecrificed to the
hatred of their enemks, oURering to refign the power with
which fhey were invefted, whenever the fenate fhould
' think fit to create new confuls. Upon this declaration,
Vakrius and Horatius repaired to the army, where they
were received with inexprefiible joy. Icilius, whom the
army chofe for their fpeaher, after having returned tfce
deputies thatiks for the zeal they had (hewn in behalf of
the pe(^le, demanded, in the, name of all who had re-
tired to the Mons Sacer, i. The re-eftablifhrnent of the
tribunes of the pe<^le, with a right of appeal from the
decifiens of the confuls. 2- An amncfty for afl who had
left the camp without permiflSon from their generals.
3. That tfh^ decemvirs ftouM he delivered into their
hands, that they might be burnt alive. But the prudent
deputies 'made a great difffereriee between the two firft ar-
ticles and the laft. «' Your .two ftttf. demands (faid they) arc
?[reeable to neafon % but the third is the e^feft of paffion.
ou arceflfefed a fiiield ; do not pretend to take a fword
too. The fenate has.not yet dqclared you inaocent, and
witt you already prefumc to give law to it ?** The people
t- •.• being

fHi koman Hifiary. \^y

hewg fatjsficd that no tribunes couldt ha^e tHelr interefte
more at heart than thofe two fenator$, empowered them
to make what terms for them they fliould think 6t. Ho-
ratiiu and Valerius returned imnE^ediateJy to the fenate^
and gave them an account of the demands o( the peopie,
hut omitted their threats againft th« decemvirs, who,
hearing no mention made of their punifliment, readi^
confented to all that was aiked ; only Appiu^ feemed ut^
willing to part with his power : ** To re-<ftabli(h the tri*
hunefhip (faid he), is only to put arms iato the hands of
the enraged multitude. I find my life muft be facrificed
to the puolic hatred \ but fince it mufl be ib, I will nee
any longer oppofe the rage of the populace. I am ready
to refign the decemv^ate^ and care nat how fooa I
doit.'*

Accordingly, a decree was paffed, aboHAing the de* Vn of l:'].
cemvirate» and reftoring the tribunes. Then the decern- '9oo-
tirs, repairing to the forum, laid down their authority, tA. !t8. *
the great joy of the city "*. When the news of their re* u. C. 300,

lignation were carried to the camp, the army» leaving the »*— «

Sacred Mount, encamped a fecond time 041 Mount Aven« A decret
tine, and there chofe ^hcir tribunes, the pontifex maximus i^*'/^! *•
prefiding at the eledlion. Virginius, Iciiius, and Numi* fl/^g"^^,
torius,. were firft named ; C, Sicinius, M. Duilius, M ^irau.
TitiniuSy M. Pomponius, C. Apronius, P. VilUua, and /. Valerius
C. Oppius, were appointed their coUea^^s. An interrez ondM Ho*
was afterwards created* who held an aflembly of the peo- J]^J'*j ^^
pie by centuries, in which L* Valerius and M. Horatius ^tteconfu^
were raifed to the confv\late. Thefe eonfuis, being both lau,
very popular, paffed fev^ral laws, which gave the people ^-^fy gf*
a fupcriarity over the fenate. Formerly the decrees of the ^f*^'^^ ^j
neople, convened by tribes, obliged only the plebeians 4 tiH^atour
out now it was enaaed, that all decrees onade in the cof* ofthep€9^
mitia by tribes fliould have th< fQlce of lawa with relation pU.
to all citizens. That the tribanes might he maintained in
perpetual pofleifioia of the;if right Of judging eaufos brought
before theija by appeal* it was likcwife enabled, that, foaf
the future, n^o magii):r4ted. of any ki&d (houU he invefted
with authority, without appeal to the aflbmbly of the peo^
pie \ and that it Qiould be lawful foi any one to kill the
man who ihould attempt the creation of fuck a ma«

fiftrate. The ceremonies were UkewijEe reiiewed» whene^^
y the perfons of the tribunes were made facred. To
thefe regulations another was addod, importing, that the

* U.Y. lib. iji. ^ap« j^ff §^

L a decrees

Appius im^
peached by
Virginiut |

148 The Roman Hiftary.

decrees of the fenate{hould,'ft>r the future, be carried to
the aediles, and kept in the temple of Ceres. This precao-
tion was taken, left the fucceeding confuls (houid fup-
prefs the decrees now made, and by thefe means render
them ufelefs •.

. The power of the tribunes being firmly eftabliflied, they
refolved to profecute the decemvirs, and begin with Ap-
pius, who was accordingly cited to appear. Virginius,
who was appointed to be his accufer, without enumerat-
ing all his crimes, infifted only on his having, contrary to
Jaw, refufed a young woman, who was in pofleflion of
her liberty, the right of enjoying it till the fuit was deter-
mined. " If you do. not inftantly clear yourfelf from this
breach of the law, I will order you (faid Virginias), to be
carried to prifon." Appius kept filence ; but whei the
officers oflFcred to feize him, he cried out, *< I appeal.'*
Having enumerated the fervices done to the republic by
his family, and reminded the people of his own zeal for
the common good, in promoting and compiling the body
of laws contained in the Twelve Tables, he claimed the pro-
te£l^ion of the laws juft made in favour of appeals. Vir-
ginius anfwered, that fuch a monfter as Appius ought not
to partake of the common benefits of fociety, nor be al-
lowed to efcape imprifonment on giving fecurity, fincc
he had refufed that privilege to Virginia. He added, it
was but reafonable, that fo profligate a wretch (hould be
carried to that prifon which he himfelf had built, and in-
folently named the Habitation of the People of Rome.
Accordingly he was led, notwithftanding his appeal, to
prifon ; but his trial was put off to the third market-day.
In this interval, Claudius, the uncle of Appius, who had
fo much difapproved of his nephew's condu£b, yet, upon
hearing of the danger to which he was expofed, haftened
to Rome, and appeared in the forum, with all his friends
and relations, in habits of mourning. He went from ci-
tizen to citizen, befeeching them not to fix fuch an igno-
miny on the Claudian family. But to no purpofe;
Virginius, on the other hand, begging them to fhew
compaffion for him and his daughter, and not for the
Claudian family, which had always been unfavourable to
mnddits the interefts of the people. Before the day appointed for
tftfri. trial, Appius died in prifon(A). m.

« Liv. lib. iii. cap. 55. ^

(A) Dionyfius tells us, the ftrangled himfelf; but that it
tribunes reported, that he had was much fufpeded he had

been

atid COT'
tied to pri"

/Ofli

The Roman Hiftory.

The profectttion of ^Oppiuss one of the plebeian de*
cemvirS) followed. He wjis accufed by Numitorius, Vir-
l^ini^'s uncle> as an accomplice with Appius, whofe in-
juftice he had not oppofed, though at that time in Rome.
Nor was this the only crime laid to his charge : a vete*
ran^ who had ferved twenty-feven years in the army, and
had been eight times honoured with military rewards, un^
covering bis flipulders, espofed to the multitude the
marks of the rods with which he had been beaten by
Oppiujs's order; and offered to undergo the fame treat-
ment again^ if the decemvir could ailign any good reafon
for his cruelty. The accufed was, by the unanimous
fuffirages of the people, throyvn into prifon, where he died
the fame day. The other eight decemTirs, terrified by
thefe imprifonmentSj which were followed by fudden
deaths, retired into baniihment. Their efFe£ts were con-
jBfcated and fold, and the money arifing from them was
carried by the quaeftors into the public treafury. As for
M. Claudius, the client, who had been employed to ferve
the pleafures, and carry on the iniquity of .his patron, he
was condemned to deatli : but Virginius, pitying a wretch,
who had ofiended at the inftigation of a powoful magif-
trate, and a fovereign, from whom he had no appeal^
changed the fentence of death into that of perpetual ba-
niflimefit, upon his cOnfeiling that he had been fuborned.
After thefe ei^amples were made, Duilius, one of the tri-
bunes, advifed his colleagues to carry vengeance no far-
ther: accordingly, a general amnefty was granted, and
the ftate enjoyed a profound tranquility at home for the
remaining part of the year K

Affair^ being fettled, the confuls took the field againft
the .ZEqui, Volfci, and Sabines, who, during the late in-
teftine divifions, had pillaged the Roman territory. Va-
lerius defeated the two former, and Horatius obtained a
ViGioTj over the latter; but the fenate, diiTatisfied with
their too popular adminiftration, and moved by a fpeech
of C. Claudius, who inveighed bitterly againft them, re-
fufed the confuls a triumph. This oppofition, Itowever,
ferved to gain the people a new prerogative, the right of

f Liv. lib. ill. cap. 58, 59.

been difpatched by their or- of a public puxiifhment, laid
ders. Livy barelv relates, that, violent hands on himfeif in
Appius, to avoid the infamy pjifon (i).

149

another of
tht de-
amnnrst
tkrotwi
into prifen^
where he
dies*

ne other i
retire int9
banijh^
mtnt*

TheMquif
the yo/fcif
amdihe
SMniSf .
defeated by
theeonfuls.

The fenate
refufet
ihem a
trinmpkf
whiek tk0
obteanof*
the trim . ^.
hones.

(1) Dion. Hal. lib. xi. p. 7«5-r7*7«

L3

Liv. lib. iii. cap. 55* 56.

dc-

a 5^ ^^ Rvtmn-SSJhiy.

\

'^' ifcerfetng triumphs : for Ac aflft-foli fe^rtfed to Aem, and
" the tribuit^d ef^mifing theiir eaii^, Icilius decfaredt in tte
TlJwnfc of rtic peti^te <rf Rote*, th«t €he cowfute ftould^ m
eppofit'K)ta to thfc fcrtatfef havfe Ac tiomHir df « triamph;
which tl^y enjoyed accordmgfy. ' The tribunes dW not
" ftop here, hHi formed a defign iff' getting themfclv«8 eoa«
titiucd m iht Unh^n^Mp rfter * A* leitpiTation of their yc«r.
This M'afe' a ifonl^racy not nnl^e tt^at bf the decetmirsi
b«t,' to pffctwit any fufpidon th^t thett aim Was to'Ufiake
thcrnfelve« mafters of the government^ they klt^t^ded diot
ttte people ihf>nld continue Valefki^ and"Hora«ia$ in tht
tbnfbhte;- DftilhlHs, ont of Vh^r cbllege^'a- ftiaii d^f great
ttioderattort*, ind very *erfl6l!i'fer' the p^lk' Sfeerty, of^
pof(id thCsprdj^Sy and i^ndc red ft 'abortive^ by prCtiiltng
tipon the ikjiWUVs to deckft, that fhey would -Aot htold the
.. tOTifulate afhii' thrft year T^as ekpifed. Att^f ^i& 4ec\^
tJition, l>u¥ff<rt hfcM ^he 'aflfehnibl^ !for ekftitig t^uties
ind', by flw' WWueftee-, five *iew-b«es' we^e' dwofeti, in
fp'ftc ^'ih^/ctftHih 6f *c y^trti' • HowfevetS'ifhd kttcr
^evftiled h'^kr^'th^f ihtrf^d^^fls lo l\kidel-*«y ^*cr
of the caw^thtfcs from hAv?ng the neceffiiry i^^urfiber of
voke§'. '^ttertHibdn fht norfti^atioA bf <he fite tribunes yet
want«ng'^a3 wert-fed'^'the/Stt? adualFy chcCen, accord-
ing to tlie^r^iftloh df'ii !i4^>'' which fexprefly-pfovided,
" that tf} %p<yh^'^ay of fe!dSftiort, ihfe fwll Wirtobfer'of tri-
bunes cdtiia nbtbc cfhofen, *efe who were eteSed fliould
h'ave pow^rtb nafne their'cbfle^ucs.** Agreeably to this
law, tbe -rte'W trfbu^es no fdoner entered upon theJr of-
See,' thafh they -najined .their eolfe^gues, and anwong them,
Twofa'^ to the great furprize of, all, S.Tirp'eitts and A. JSternius,
'iiSr^i-^ both patHKarns, t^ld- ftnitOf*, '^nd even confulars. The
hiii^t>f eleftion df the coiffiils foMo'^ii^ that of the tribunes,
theqfw}>ih when LaYtitis Herttiittlu^'Aitd T. Virginias Wfete ehofen
withbut ahy difturbamce. /-In''tfheif ee)irfulate, L. Trcbo-
tiius, xyttt oftht tribunes, difl5rtis4ed to fee two patricians
in that college*, efnpfloyed ^11 his endeavours to eppofe
the fena'te in every thing 5 Whenee be acquired the fur-
J .^ name of* ATper, or the "Oabhed, In order to exclude pa-
^■... ., ., triciaws for the ftU!tn»c, he ptx)Cured a law, which, from
le^ fw»v his name, was caUed le^^ Trcl?o»ia \ by which it was or-
b§nm.: dained, that whofoever ftiould, ioj the future, hold the

CoihitJa for elefittng trftutles' of the people, fhould not
difmifs the ^flembly, till the nutnber of ten tribunes was
completed by the votes of the 'people. This laW tool
from the tfibunrs, wHo Were firft chofenj the right of

naming

iiaitt*g:ihfitfCQUea^;iie^.w^^ the Eomafif c^Ued co«
optado&«. ...

Th^jfollgmiog; c^niTuhte of M. Qegania$ sund C. JuliuA 7*^^ «/^

rkiccd JM;fa]S^ remiifkiibk. .The fttcceediaf coHfuls, -^^'^H
(^nfOtus CapitQliniwia .^wth time, and Agrippa ''^^^'^^
Farkt&y A>iUidlihe jpeoflle bigHy ^xaij^ef^fei l^gakift tb^ .
iobility, Qficafioned by fome infulcs th«y J>ad c^ered tbi^
pl^«ian£. Tbc. aggsefibrs wiefc jcited>ta appear before
titefyeoplet and tbts citation (yccafioned'gnedticonteiitions.
Upcm.dbfe mews of thefe dotoveftic broil&, tb^ ^qut and ^he Mqul
Voifici entered the Roman territory,, and rav^aged the; andVolfd
cottntry *o the gatea of Rome ; the tribunes ©pp^mg the ^^^^' '^'
levies Ae^oeffary to jrepirife them* Upon 'this occafion, the u^rttoriiu
confbl 'ij^nfkiuSf a man iUuftrious fof feveral vi<3:ori6<|
and greatly, refpe&ed for the purity of v \\\% manners and
libe wifdom.of his counfel^^ havi:ag c<i^vened a gener^d
adfeniUly ]of the -people^ made an harangue. to ^hem^ witi)
wliiclk they wore fo -^Sk^XtA^ that they a9|lcuiHred iHiani;
moufl]^ m taking armsi^ The youth olfened ihemfelves to
be bdtftfid* infomuch^ thai; on the fai9[ie day.\(be leviel
were raifod^ and the furmy oiarched ten xssiles fro;m th^ ^^ j^^.
di3y. Next day tbeitonfukcaflie in fight of the enemy> mans gam
^kmL dne day following gave tbem b^ttlej ^i%d, gained n acompUu
exhMipkte'firi^ory» HoM^vef, the cenfuk did not dein$i^ waory
fi trinfAph, nor did the jenate offer them that honour. - » ^^ •

Hals would have been a ^orious year for the republic Imquitpus
bad not die Roman j;>eop)e difibonoiiFed thc^f^lves by an jutig€m$nt
iniqiiitbtts judgement in a caufe which wfis referred t^ ofthepeo^
their decifion. The inhabitants of Ardea and Aricia caufe're'
ohofe tb(^m arbitrators, in a difpute concerning a . la^ f erred to
Xx^St of land, to which; they both latdfC^m* The. tribes their arbim
haatg affemhied* and <he caufe heari* tjl^p yoith were g^ tratun.
ing to be taken, when one Scaptius, a Roman, eighty«>
three ymrs' <rid, deJiredi tp. (peak. .)He.-pft^t'ended, that * i - r
the daftiifb in queftion belonged formerly to the city of
Coricdi, and confequentiy now to the Reiaa0na> who caught * '
feherefore to make no fcruple of feizing tt. The coiifuk \' \ -y
4iJed'tbeir utmoft ende^ivoura to diflu^de the people from ..J. .
takiniga ftepi.which muft dilhonour the Roman probity ;
botali tbeir efibrts wtre to no purpo£e;4 the people ani-
jBriged the territory «to themfelves ^ , ,-

In.dse folbwing confulate of M« Genudus Augurinas itini) pf$^
jmti C. CttTtittS Phiio, the tribunes carried their preten- t^Jions of

«Civv lib.iii. caf^^i— ^5. . ^ S>ion»HaL lib. xi. p. 7S9» '^f"^**

Liv, tibi fupra, cap* 71^ 7*' , -

L 4 £ons

j^ The l^filM f^ory.

fions farther than ever ; fortliey net only demanded Jdiat
the law, prohibiting patricians and plebeians to niarry,
might be repealed, but likewife thiit- plebeians -might be
admitted to the confulate. Canuleius, the moft a^ive of
the tribunes, declared to the {imate, in the moft UAkmn
manner, that he would conftantly oppofe aU levies of
troopsy let the want of them be ever «fo preffing, till
thefe conceffions fhould be made to the people. The con-
fuls and patricians oppofed, with great warmth, thefe
new claims of the encroaching tribunes ; but the Ardeates,
the .£qui, the Veientes, and the Volfci, invading, at tbe
fame time, the Roman territory, the fenate found it ne-
. ceflary to let the law concerning marriages pafs, hoping
that this concc^on would indtice the tribunes to defift
from the purfuit of the law relating to the confulate,' or
at leaft to fufpend it till the conclufion of the war? but
their hopes proved abortive* The tribunes, though the
alarm from abroad daily encreafedi ftill oppofed the le«
vies, and pufbed their point with the 'fame zeal as before.
Nay, at the inftigarion of Canuleiusythey all bound them-
felves, by a folemn oath, not to defift trom their oppofi*
tion, till the fenate had granted their demand. C. Clau-
dius, in a private aflembly of the oldeft fenators, moved
(o have recoarfe to arms and violence, rather than yield
to the people the dignity of the confulate ; but T. Qmnc»
^ tins, and the majority of the aflembly, thought it better
to comply than come to a rupture with the people. Then
Claudius, to prevent the debafing of the confular dignity,
made a new propc^al; that, infteaid of confuls,.a certain
number of military tribunes fiiould be chofen, partly out
of the fenate, and partly from the plebeians ; and that
thefe new magiftrates (hould bo invefted with conflilar
power.
Yr. of Fl. This projeA being approved, the fenate was affembled,
A^'^^Ch ^^^ ^^^ tribunes called to give their reafons in behalf of
44^. ^* ^^^ "^^ ^*^"^ ^'^ qucftion. After they had explained their
U.C. 305. fentiments, Claudius's fcheme was propofed, and received
«— — ... with great applaufe, both by the patricians and plebeians.
Wiitaty , A decree was immediately paffed for this fourth revolution
iribunts .\^ ^he Roman government, and the comitia were held
^Shcon- 'wi^^o"' delay. When the people carne to vote, they i:c-
Jklar fufed to give their votes to any but patricians \ fo that only

fewer ; -three military tribunes were chofen, A. Sempronius Atra^
butfion tinus, L. Attilius, and S. Cseciliusy or, as fome ftyle him,
dicLtt *^^*^*"^* But -they did not long continue in office. Cur-
tius, the late conful, who had prefided at the elefUon,

Tie 'RomoH Hilary. 15 j.

^ledlatedy three iiidnth» aft er, that the auguries preceding
it had beeninaufpidoos, a circui^ftance which made their
promotion void. This was, probably, an artful contrir-
ance of the nobility, to reftore the ancient form of go*
irermnent. However that be, the three itew magiftratet
seadtlT refigned their of&ce, and an interijex was named,
that tne commonwealth might not remain without a head.
T. Quindius, the tnterrex, aflembied the people, to de«
termine whether the confular government ihould be re«
fiored, or that of the military tribunes continued. The:
fenate declared for confals; the tribiinesinfifted.uponthe
late inftitution ; but the people, being r^dblved to confer
the fapreme dignity only on patrician^^ were indifferent
whether it (hould be called confulfhip or:tribunefhip. Atr
length all agreed to teftqre the old form of government ;
and L. Pap&ius Mugilianus, and L. Sempronius Atra-^
tinus,. 'Were appointed Gonfuls for the remaining part of
the year*. Under the Succeeding admintftration of T.
Qpiiidias CapltoUnus, a fifth time cohful, and M. Gega-
mus, afecondtime, the ccnforfhipwascfbhlifhcd. There Yn ofFI.
hadbeen no cenfusfor fcYchtcen years ( an omiffion which J . ''°J,V
oocafiQBed great diforders. . Thefe the.new.confoJa under*; 4^,^
took to. remedy; 'but a&lfaey had mafxy* civil and military u. C. 307*

aSadrs |On. their hands, they defired. the fenate todifcharge^ — -«.

them of the care of numbering the people, and to lay ir ^^f#«-
upon two msgift rates created for that purpofe^ who, with:-^^'^^
the title of ccnfors, ihould, every five years, take a gene* *r^"fi***..
raireview of the Roman people, and an account of their
efie£fc8« The fenate approved the motion ; and the tri-
banes*. though always upon their guard againft every thing
ofiered by the fenate, thought the empbyment of too
Uttle importance to oppofe it. Th;sy did not even: demand
that the plebeians ihould be allowed a ibare in it ; not
forefeeing to what a pitch of power and grandeur the
office of cenfor would in time arrive. As men generally
ftttdy how to enlarge their authority, the cenforihip wa«
no fooner made a diitind): magiftracy, than the cenfors
began to take upon them the reformation of manners, and
by that office fubje£ked to their tribunal the fenators and
knights, as much as the meanefl; of the people. Papirius
and Sempronius, the confals of the preceding year, were
the firit cenfors ; this dignity being unanimouiiy conferred
upon them, to atone for the ihort duration of their con*
falate^

i Dion. Hal. lib. xi. p. 736. LW. lib. iy. cap. 7. ^ Liv« ibid*

cap. Sj 9. Dion. HaL ubi fuprs, p, 737.

While

Jtdvii : Whiie <iie confids «>ere idips Gifin^;difnifeHv& of i)i^

«wAr«- hurdtacf <iii(ir oAoCy a. iicightiDiBiiig citf fonsd tfaetn

9t9ffg t^ emiploymeat abroxd. The Ardc«te8^jWho.luu} laMy fv^

^mttu j^ffiffcA tfam aUiAOoe widh Bti]ho» ver^iiivtilvedsn.a end

"wsr, wfaicb supofe ftoiii n Very KUgiU e^vfev TwackioDcoi

f)f Asdea, twe q£ anobfe family tii0 •tHcrof a'p]d»&ii»

had iaUen m love with:tiie famp^dHMg momw^. As ifae

was a pfeboisp, her ggM^irifltts.werr'imrjg^ bcr. td .a

imii of her o^n«TBXikq^ twt hor »todttr»- >ii-a udiiij i mi> . anp.

nun, was fandiif matching her .ii«th>'A Imati-of qgaikf.

Thcdi^te aibotit:thi6 marriage ehtgageid ^.Avdea, the

nebsiky dedarfiB^f^rbiie 9F tfa^ ^olitoitsc^ ^rnLife fcoplt

fortbe adHer«i Atr^cngth tihe oaidEeobetfroeti ibe woUheii^:

and the gitafdiai«»ivas tried^ and^if^otence IjjmsQanntMk bf

the judges in faMnour of ftbefomiery «hoE^ dsey ,£iid^ kid W

light to difpofenxf hef child (0 wh(iifi:4ib plsaTed^ hut the

better^ refafingin ftabd «^ this Hletei»Mamk>a,.hed'ire*

courfe to fiohS tt c , gathered tngttheV'fonBepiebeiah% and)^;

eiitmng the wdb^ahoirfc^.ic^ih-iedawi^ bef daoighM*'

'{iie noUtity ranto anus* &11 vpoiii tberplekpeiaatef aad,^

Urviirg killed fever^l incUyidtiabv broug^ the yoimg '\i^

aaan back to her. mother's houik, The fdebeihaB^^tfaus.

. ; ' inatsted, leai:7iii]g the city m:'^^ luihijbeis, encamixBd

on/a oeigbboorii^ hiU, »»ad fromixhetioe.ifentoufcipKMi^

'-' tb lay wafte the IpidB of theiiUitlityV? Tfape miUnoer^^

bHng joided b^ lAe yedfdjiicho&thenffld^

^Ro- "' named Olttittus, «if d laid . fiqgQ . bk Ar4ea« . . The iibbiiiriB

m^niaHjfi applied to the Ronsaiia I aiid tii|p 'fenote' ficdt anannyjtai

M^ nob'tiity. thtir Teliefi iiuder tiic cxminftaiid of the araifdi Geganui^?

^Jrd^a^ vho iYnreOed the bdifferav«Atig8d them rto fdrtcadeif

^ar arms, 'and made tbeat fia^S' uoderfihei'^^hei \,MAt

this explohthe ^oiftfbl^reClJrned't]» Aofme^ which Ifeienttri^

ed an triumph) with tm€ommi>n i»nn]> aad^oteqimty *«\ \

Acohfijf ' The fucceed&ng confuJiB, ^M^.Fpl^iis and • JPpfthuil»bi$

fint to rt' £bQtitts> made the Ardeates anaendlfar.- the' wroiigs the

ftopU Ar* T^x^^^ had done them, on ocasfibn nsf their ooirteft ^ith

die Aricians; ft>r they.£tnt. a -oadboy to sepeo^^ ibcir

eit?y, mtich depopolated fay the ciFilwari and pcivaitely

agreed, that no laaids, excepb tht)fe:'forni6rly iHxiifptttey

iioidd be dirided 3x11101^ tlic'neW'totenyv ami eve^icf

thofe only a fmaii piirt; asnd.lchat the reft Aoiddbe len

ftpred to their ancient proprcetors* : As this dtfpofittnn

was, in'ei'd£t,.idiiAnnuliiDg the judgement «f thcrpeople,

Agrippa Menenius, F. Clselius, and M. Ebutius, Who had

' » tivt lib. W. cap. 9. JO, , : .

.'.• . put

d(a

|mt tlie decree in execution, vrcrc citeS to appear befeoe
the peoples .butthefodiree patrionm, tb avoid the pro^
fecution, declared >diBili£^ves ohitcns .of ' Acdcd, "^Hieffe
thef ftmained. The foUowing year/ uriien tke ^[Qipiem^
mint was in the handsr cf ۥ ForinsTand M. ^pkiat^
proved a year of peaoe. But in the ARoeedmg' comulate
of I^racaiiis Oe^niaataiid L. Meneniud^ great diftarhancei
arofe, occsfioned by :a Roiman knigfat,. named 8p. M»^ Sp.M^m
Kud».wfao had the ponfidence to afpire to the ifbvereien ^pinm
power. A dreadfpl famine happcningr in Rome, the people, '^f^^-
to prevent the enril consequences of ft, Oreiverd, with the S^^^
(dQlilin!itof'«hefenHte,iatt extraovdinary^ magiftr^te^ ^«h
the title of fuperinkendahc of provcftMis. Tte perfen rh^
named for this office' was L. Mhiutius, airaftive akid pru^
dc«t man, who immeSiately fent hid agenti Into the neigh*-
bouring countriies tobivy corn, but with litde fuccefe, §p%
Metlittfi, who was one of the richeft men in Rome, havhi^ <
fbneftalled ^he markets. The dom rM^eKas boughty was^
t»y his order; diltrihuted among the meavver people; fe that
histhdttfe iiecame the place of refuge for the poor, the
^^adle^ and thofewhe had undone 'rtietikfelves hyitebau«-
dhery'". • ^ '^T "' ;

Minntiuis, who was bontinued 'va ids^bfice- utide?' tkfil
plew orafuls, T. i^inditts Capitdliniis (be filth tittie^ and . . " ^
Agrippa Menenins^' 'dtfoovered that Maslius, under idoifer '
of extraordinary Hberaftity, "held aflembhes at his hieMfis^
and that great quantities of arms hsed been conveyed thirties
by. night. Upon this intelligence he eivqaired ferther inM
the matter, and at length detedled a conspiracy formed to
fi^bverttheprefeittgenreitmient. He wsrsoeitaiiylyinfonned
thatMsdiu^ afpircdto thefo?ereign power; that therpeo^
pie were to take arms in his- favour; and that even feme
of the tribunes had confented to fell the public liberty;
l^donutius, without k)£i of time, gave un account of ms ^

difoovcricB to the fcnate j and the fenate, fc^lowing the
advice of Quinftius Capitolinus, impowered him to name
bis brother, Quiȣbiu8 Cinci^natus, diftator. It was ^nBit
thought neccflary to take this ftep in fo critical a jutitfture, ?*22!?^
to prevent Mwlius from efcaping the poniihmeiit due to ^^/^
his wicked attempt. He might have appealed from the
confuls to the people, who would have faved htm ; but
from the diAator tjiere was no appeal. Cindnnaru^, be-
ing upwards of eighty, would have declined the office ; \M,
die confuls and the whole fefutte infixing ^ppn his «hafrg«

aLU. lib. iv. cap, 1$, 14,

ing

H^

eitei(t9
sfpear ^A

Bi isjtmni

ttuje rafid.

MitltJtry
trtbunts

mnew.

T'tdena r/-

^/•its from
tktRvwtmUk

The. Roman Kjkry.

in^.lnmfelf with the' care of thie commonwealth, he at
leafth acquiefced;. named ServUitts Ahala, to be his ge-
jiesal of the horfe, ^nd next day placed .guards in all the
4)uarte:r8 of the city. . This precaution furprtfed thofe who
J(new nothing of the: confpiracy \ but Myelins and his
aflbciates being appri&d that the power of the fupreme
magiftrate was employed againft them, ufed their otmoft
endeavours to engage the multitude indieir faTOur.
: The difbtor, awarjs of their intrigues, having caufed
his tribunal to be carried- into the forum, fent his .mafter
^f the horfe to cite Mariius to appear before him. Madius^
inftead of obeying the- fummonsy^ attempted to make his
efcape. Then SecviJius commanded a lidor to £size him;
and his orders were put in execution ; but the multitude
having refcued him out of the H£kor's hands, he was very
near making his efcape, whenServiiSus, throwing himfejf
into the crouds overtocdc him, and.kiifed him'on the fpot
This a£tion was fo agreeable to the difkator, that, feeing
his mailer of the horfe all fprinkled with the blood of the
criminal, he told him, that to him Rome . was indebted
for her liberty. He then convened a general aflembiy of
the people, and, having acquainted them with the con*
j^aey, declared, Ibhat Mselius had been juftly fiain. His.
hou(e was, by the ds^tor's orders, rafed to. the ground,
and th^ prodigious quantities of corn fdiind in it, fold to the
p^^le at low rates. As for Menenius, a ftatuc was croft-
ed t» him without. the gate Trigemina, as a reward of his
vigilance ; but three of the tribunes, provoked at the murder
of MaeiiuSf made loud complaints in the aflembiy of the
people, and obftinatdy oppofed the elefHon of the con-
fuls;'mfomuch that the patricians, to avoid' a tumult,
were forced to oonfent that military tribunes fhould be
cho(en for the next year* The tribunes hoped, that the
pepple would now. divide the government between the pa-
tricians and plebeians ; but they chofe only three patri-
cians, Mamercus JSmiiiu^, L. Quin£^ius, the fon of the
dictator, and Julius lulus ^ During their. adminiftration
the city of Fidenge not only revolted from Rome, but the
inhabitants, putting them felves under the proteftion of
Tolumnius, king o? the Veientes, murdered four ambaf-
fadoFsfent by the fenat^.to aik the r^afqn of their condud.
As a war w»s unavoidable, it was thought more proper to
choofe qonfuk than military tribunes for the next year ;
and.^^prdiiigly M. GiQganius, a third time, andL. Sergius

^ Liv. lib. iv< cajp» 17. VaK Mix. lib^ v. cap, 3.

were

The Roman ISftory. 1 57

were eleded* It fell to the fhare of the latter to maike
war upon the Veientes; but though he gained fome ad*
vantages over them,^ he loft a great number of men ; a
circumftance which determined the fenate to remove him
from the command of the army, and to create a difiator
in his room.

The confuls named Mamercus JEmilius for that dig- Mamercw
nity, who chofe young Quin£l:ius Cincinnatus for his ge- ^"^'"'
neral of the faorfe, and appointed Quin£liu$ Capitolinusy ' ^ ^*
and M. Fabius Vibulanus, two celebrated commanders^
his lieutenant-generals. He foon after took the field, came
to an engagement with the united forces of the Falifci,
Fidenates, and Veientes, and gave them a total over-
throw. Toliimnius was flain in the battle by Cornelius
Coflus, a legionary tribune, who ftripped him of his
armour and royal robes, and carried cbefe fpoils, called
fpolia opima, on his ihoulders in the difbtor's triumph* ^^'/>««i
He afterwards depoiited them in the temple of Jupiter ^*''^
Feretrius, they being the fecond of the fort known in **
Rome. In the following confulate of M. Cornelius and
L. Papirius, one Sp. Mselius, a tribune of the people^
and a near relation of the famous Moelius, cited Minutiua
and Servilius Ahala, to anfwer for his death °.

The Veientes and Fidenates renewed the war in the Yr. of FI.
fdUowing confulate of Julius lulus, the fecond time,' aiid >9is-
L. Virginius, while the Romans were greatly diftreflcd -A.nte Chr.
by a plague 5 but Q^Servilius Prifcus, being created die- u, c?tV««
tator, gave them battle near Nomentum, routed them, '
and took the city of Fidenx. This fuccefs was followed Fidm^
by a cenfus of the Roman people, which, after the eftab- ^J*'?^
liihment of the cenfors, never failed to be renewed every J|J^*"
five years. The following year, when C. Julius was con- fi/^amirewi
ful the third time, and Virginius the fecond» Mamercus JEmiHus
^milius was named to the diflatprihip a fecond time, diaator.
upon a report that all Hetruria was preparing for war ; T^ jS?*^
but thefe fears proving vain, ^milius, who had no hopes \^J^^^'
of gaining glory abroad, refolved to do fomething remark-
able at home» and propofed to the people the ftortening
the duration of the cenforfliip^ and reducing it from five
years to eighteen months. This motion was received with
applaufe, and pafled into a law. Then JZEmilius, to fliew
the diflike he had to magiftracies of long continu-
ance, refigned his own, and retired to his houfe, amidft
the loud acclamations of the multitude* However9 this

.^Liv.ltb.iv. cap. si;

wife

158 7kt Roman Bf/ioryt.

jBmilius Wife hv coft him dear ; the cenfofs^ wlioi wete die mfeaGi*

ftrficuted tors of the manners of the peo|^le> ftruck him out oc the

kjthtcen- jqJj ^f jjjs tribe, took from him the {urivilege of Todsg,

^^^' deprived him of all the righu of a Roman citizen^ and

loaded him with a tribute eight times greater than the

proportion he ufed to pay ; but this perfecution ganre him

a new luftre, and ftirred up the people agsdnft Us perfe-*

Ctttors, Furiua and Geganius, .to fuch a degree, that tfaef

Vi^uld have torn them in pieces, if .£milius had not beea

fo generous as to ufe his intereft with the multitude to

fparc their lives ^

idt&tofy The tribunes of the people, by renewing their harangues

trihuHgj againft the eledion of confub, influenced the public in

Iwf j^r ^^^ * manner,, that military tribunes were chofen for the

' next year. However, the people raifed to that dfignity

only three patriciaas> M. Fabius, M. Faftius> and L. Ser^^

gius. Nothing memorable happened during their admi*

niftration but a plague, Mrhich ceafed in the foliowii^

Jsar, when the republic was again governed by three bu*
tary tribunes, all patricians i namely, L. Finariu% L.
Furiufli and Sp. Pofthumius* The rich plebckms now
complained that the poorer fort ehofe none but patricians
to thatmagiftracy, notwitfaftanding the law, which allow*
ed three, plebeians to be ele&ed. They met at the houfes
of the tribunes to ccmfuh: upon this matSer, and there re«
felved to propofe a law, forbidding any pretenders to tbs
iuperior oi&ces to appear in garments of an extraordinary
whitenefs, to folicit the votes of the people. It Wa$ eu&
tomary for thofe who afpired to any office, to fliew chein-
ielves to the people in a habit of an extraordinary white-
' aefis, and to court the meaneft of the citizens to call them
by their names, and to ihake hands with diem. From
. this habit they were called candidati, or candidates, a
word derived from the Latin (Ottdtdus^ fignifying wbiie.

As this method was ufed only by the nobility, the prin*

cipal plebeians undertook the aboHflung of fticb a cnftom,

' hoping to end the various arts ufed by the patricians to

J law gain the favour of die people. The law, prohibiting the

. frohikitin^ uie of white garments, pafled, though oppoifed by the ps-

thiufeof tficiaiis, who, feeing, tlaue people incenfed againft the so*

Eoratnts. ^^^^Jy hegan to fear. that they would no longer rcfufe

their voices to the chidF plebciafis for the military tribune*

ftip; wherefore^ to avert this danger, they ufed their

ntmoft eSoTt» to get cacdTub ehofea for the next year, the

P Lav. Ub, iv. esp* si^

formidable

fe^midalite {Mrepamions which the iEqui and Voifci #efl^
making at this time for war, favonFing their defign.

A^'AO ^kbektiB h»d commanded armies, the people
were indi^ferefit whdf her confuls or nulkary tribunes were
ciiofcn ; for thef weit deterntimed €o give their fufFrage»
tO' tione b»t old capons, and con{e<|uent]y to patrteiansi
Thus i:l« eledion being left to the fenate, the confuKfeip Tht rtir*
wa* r«ftared, a»d T. Quinaiud, the fon of Lucius, an<$ /«i^ ^^
C. Julius Mento^ were promoted to that dignity. They -^9*^^
were officers of greats e^bperience and course ; but a mif^
underftanding arKkir between thertv, they were defieated Tht etnfuh
by the eii«my near Mo««t Algidust Ita confequentc of ^f'^^^^
thid defeat, the fduate^ -thought rt neceJary to name a dic^ MdVoiM
tafior ^ but dw^ co«fuls obftinately reluling to comply wi«h * *

Vheir de&(^ jil'this'pdfl!tcukfrr; being pitq««d at the diffi*
dence they fhewed of their abilities, the fenators had re«
conrfe to the tribunes of' the people, exhorting tl*em to
iiiEerpofe the^ authority, and oblige theconfuls to nart^ a
df£btor. The tilbarte^, who were then in the fenate^
charmed with a* motion which tended to increafe thei^ '
ftuthcrityj bavitig withdrawn to confult, returned with
tki« declaration!,' that it Was the pleiaflire of ^e tribunes
that the cohfulft ftie^' obey the fenate, or be imprifonedi
if «*idy perfifted ini^beir difobedtence. The confuls fub*
flsitCed; but j^rftiy r^proacKed the fe^atdrs with betraying
the feiterefts of their own body, and fubjeftitig the con*
ftilar attthorityto the tfibunitiafli poif^er. Another diffi-
culty ftill reihahied ^ the c<mfuls could not agree about
the perfon who fliouid be, d'>6(ator ; fo th*t they were
obliged to draw lots for the privHegc'of nominating* it Poflhnmim
fell to Qttin^us, and he nan&ed his fether-in-law, Poft- ^ubtrtm^
bumius Tubertus, who appointed L. Julius Vopifcus t6 ^J^^^l^
be his general of the horfe. Tfeediftator foon raifed an j^fj^^^
army, with which he > marched ag^iivft the enemy, hav- yjf^i^
ing defeated them in a bloody battle, he returned in
triumph to Rome, and laid down his employment^.

The next year, wh«n C. Paprlus and L. Julius Vc^iC. Tructvf
i^us were confuts, the \Squi defired to enter into att alii- ^ghtyean
aoce with the Romans, on the fame plan with the Latini ^^"j^ ^*
ondHernici; but 'all they couM obtain was a truce for '^*^
eigbt years'. Nothing remarkable happened at Rome
during the pnefent confulihip, but the making a law to
iettle the value of oxen and flieep paid by way of finei
for diibbedience to magiftrates. The fines were ordered

q Lit* lib. iv. cap. s6— kf . » Idem ibid. cap. so-^^^

lo

i6a

Rome.

Wions di'
fiatidby
gki Viiiti'^
Us.

T%e r«.

tntes and «

Fidenates

defeated by

Mamtrcus

JEmilius

diSatwr*

Tbi Rofnan ISfitnyi

fobci paid in money for the future, each ox being valued
at a hundred afes of brafs, and each (heep at ten. Th«
tribunes were the firft proje£lor$ of this law ; but the con-
fulsi having notice of their defign, propofcd the new re-
gulation themfelvesy and by thefe means gained the fa-
vour of the people. During the fucceeding year^ the re-
public enjoyed profound peace, under the adminiftration
of L. Sergius a fecond time conful, and Hoftus Lucre-
tius, which was not difturbed even by the tribunes. The
enfuing confulfliip of T. Quinfliusj and Cornelius Coflus,
was remarkable for nothing but an extraordinary drought,
which occafipned a famine, followed by a dreadtul plague.
On this occasion the Romans had recourfe to deities un-
known, and introduced new fuperftitions ; but the fenate,
apprifed of the danger of innovations in religion, ordered
the aediles to take care that no gods were worfhipped but
thofe of the country ; and by this precaution a ftop was
put to all foreign tuperftitions. The Veientes had ob-
tained a truce for eight years, after their defeat near No-
mentum ; but, before the time was expired, had ravaged
the lands of the republic. The fenate therefore, in the
confulate of L. Papirius Mugilanus and Servjlius Ahala,
refolved to puniih them $ but a difpute arifing between
the people and the fenate, concerning the right of de-
claring war, thofe enemies of the republic efcaped ven-
geance this year ^ The next, the tribunes infifted upon
having the government placed in the hands of military
tribunes; and accordingly four patricians were chofen,
T. Quindius Cincinnatus, C. Furius, M. Pofthumius,
and A. Cornelius Cofliis.

The latter ftaid at Rome, and the other three marched
againft the Veientes; but as they did not a& in concert,
they were routed, and obliged to keep within their camp.
The people, upon the news of their defeat, infifted upon
their being depofed, and a didator appointed in their
room ; but as there were then no confuls, whofe preroga-
tive it was to nominate a dictator, recourfe was had to
the augurs, who declared, that Coflus, who had had no
fliare in the late fliameful difafter> might nominate a dic-
tator. Accordingly he named Mamercus j£milius, who
had been in the fame poft twice before, and whom the
cenfors had degraded. The new diifiator appointed Coflus
his general of the horfe, and foon after took the field
againft the Veientes, whom the Fidenates had joined.

> Idem ibid.

after

• fhe Roman tJiJlory.

iifter Jiaving maflacrcd the Roman ccrtony in tlieir city.
The didlator coming up with them near the city of Fide-
nae, gained a complete viftory over their united forces,
and made himfelf mafter both of the city of Fidenae, and
of the camp of the Veientes '.

Notwithftanding the ill condiifl: of the laft military tri-
bunes, the tribunes of the people prevailed fo far as to have
the fame government continued the two following years ;
but had ftiil the mortification to fee patricians only elefted*
' Thefe were, the firft year, A. Sempronius, L. Furius,
L. Quinftius, and L. Horatius ; the fecond, Ap. Claudius,
Sp'. Nautius, L. Sergius, alid Sex. lulus. The tribunes
of the people ufed their utmoft endeavours to difluade the
multitude from giving this preference to the patricians, in
the ele£tions. The rich^ft and moft eminent men among
the plebeians infinuated, that if they could be once cho-
fen, they would not fail to get the public lands divided
among the poor citizens. This declaration made no fmall
impreflion upon the multitude ; but the patricians, who
wefe then in pofleffion of the military tribunefliip, to
avoid the (hame of having plebeians for their fucceflbrs,
Agreed to lead out of Rome thofe who afpired to that dig-
nity, under pfetence of making ah incurfion into the ter-
ritory of the Volfci. In their abfence, Appius Claudius,
fbn of the deceiiivir, and ohe of the military tribunes, held
an aflembly for elefting confuls, when C. Sempronius
Atratinus, ahd C. Fabius Vibulanus, were chofen «. •

They had fcarCe entered upon their office, when news
were brought to Rome, that the Volfci had taken the field
with a numerous army, and wefe advancing towards the
frontiers, to lay \yafte the lands of the republic. The
conful Sempronius, a man of greater courage than con-
du£t, was fent againfl; them ; but he, defpifing an enemy
whom the Romans had often vanquiflied, and attacking
therrt with the infantry alone, was furrounded on all fides,
and would have been clit off, if Tempanius, an old of-
ficer of the horfe, had^iot taken upon him the command
of the cavalry. This brave officer, obferving the danger
the legions were in, lenped from his horfe ; and, addrefT-
ing himfelf to his companions, *' I^ollow my lance (faid
he) as if it were a ftandard ; and let us (hew the enemy,
that we can fi^ht on foot as well as on horfeback/' At
thefe words the whole body of horfe difmounted, and fol-
lowing their leader, fell upon the enemy with incredible

i6t

Yr. of Fl.

1943.
Ante Chr,

U. C. 323»

Fideme
taktn.

Ablooeh
battle ii'
t-ween thg
Romans
and thg
Volfcu

Gallant him
haviour of
7i 7npa*
nius*

t Liv. ibid. cap. 30—34.

Voi. i •

n Liv. lib. i?» cap. 35—37-
M fury.

1 62 The Roman Hifiory.

fury. The general of the Volfci ordered his men to f?f-» .
tire in good order to a neighbouring hill ; but Tempanius,
after having refcued the legion S| continued .to prefs tl^c
enemy with fuch vigour, that they could no longer wit^j-
ftand him. The Volfcian commander, who was a man pf
great experience in war, fent orders to .open the xvA&w
and give paflage to the troops Tempanius led, a;id thc|i
to clofc again, in order to (eparate .them from the refit gf
the Roman army.

His orders were obeyed, and Tempanius, rufliing ftill
forwards, found himfelf at laft cut off from the maip
body of the Romans. He did his utmoft to force his '^ay
Sot/iar* through the enemy's ranks; but not being able to breafL
^'Y'^*^^ their order, he retired to an eminence, and there dra'^r^ng
il^A/1 ^P ^^^ "^^^ ^^ ^ circle, defended himfeff with incredibly

bravery, till night cominff on, ended the conflid. llic
brave Roman did not douot that the enemy would nsniev^
the attack /when the darknefs was difpel^ed ; and therefore
encouraged his men, fmce» they muft periQi, to fell ^cir
lives dear : but he was much furprifed^ when ?t day-
break he faw neither friends nor enemies. He could not
imagine what was become of the two armies, yrhicb, »
few hours before, had covered the plain. He ^enj dpwft
with a few of his men to take a view, firft of jbe Vplfciao^
and afterwards of the Roman camp. Not a man \^a8 to )^
feen, except the wounded who had not been able to follow
the main body of their refpedive armies. Both Romans
and Volfcians had fought till night j but being equally
afraid to renew the fight next inorningi had quitted their
camps, and retired to tjie neareft mountains. Tempa-
nius, ndt knowing where the conful was retired with his'
troops, took up the wounded Romans, and marched
ftrait to Rome, where he found the people aficmbled.
Some runaways, having reached the city before bim, had
feported, that the conful was defeated, and^ the whole -
body of cavalry cut in pieces. The tribunes of the peo-
ple, thinking this a favourable opportunity of humbling 9.
conful, obliged Tempanius to appear in tne aiTembly, be-
fore he repaired to his own houfe, and afted him aloud
feveral queftions concerning the condu£): of Sempronius*
Tempanius anfwered, " That it did not becojpie a private
officer to judge of the capacity of his general; th^t he had
feen him fight at the head of his legions with great bra-
very ; and that, by what appeared to him upon a view of
the field of battle, the VoUci liad loft at leall as many men
as i;he Ronians.

Notwilh-

^** Roam BJlofy^

KotWidiftandiiig tbis favoHrabie teAmoay of Tempa-
iilttSi .L« HortenfiuS) one of the tribunes of the people,
<:ited Seu^proqius, when the year of his copfulate was ex-
pired, to aufw€f for his ^onduA in the late battle \ but
ivh^n he appeared upon his trial, TempaiiiuSj who had
been chofeo tribune of the people, with i^ree other offi-
cers pf the horfe, geQeroufiy became hip advocates, and
aiked their colleague, why he profecuted a brave general,
wboai he could reproach with nothing but bad fortune.
•* SeinproJ9ius (faid they) was our general and our fa-
ther i and therefore, like true children, we will appear
in tHf habit of criminals as well as he ; and^ aa we have
Ibaiied his fortune, partake of his difgrace, if any befals
him." ^ No (replied Horteiifius) the Roman people
ibaU iL^ser ike their tribunes in mourning* I have done \
I have .nothing farther to fay againft a general, who un-
derffood fo well how to gain the aSedUon of his foldiers/'
Tbu« he dropped his accufation ^* Sempronius, and his
colleague Fabius* had been fucceeded by military tribunes^
L. Manlius, Q^Antoniiis, L. Papirius, and L. Servilius ;
but this year Home, having fuch moderate tribunes of the
people, returned to her ancient form of government, and
cbofe* without any difturbance, T. Qj^in£tius Capitolinus,
fon of the famous Q^Capitolinus and Numerius Fabius
coofuls *.

The peace afforded the new tribunes an opportunity of
raifing difturbances about the quaeftor&ip. Hitherto there
had been only two quaeftorsi and thofe chofen annually
from among the patricians. Their office was^ to coUedi
the tazes» defray the expences of the war, and to keep
accpmpts of the receipts and diiburfements of the public
money, for which they were anfwerabic* To this time
they had always refided in Rome : the confuls therefore
propofed, that two new quasftors (hould be added, to at*
tend the genei:als in the field, take an account of the
ipoils, fell the booty, and provide for the fubCftence of
the army. This motion was received with great applaufe
by the fenate and people ; but when it came to be paffed
into a law, the tribunes demanded, that two of thofe ma-*
giftrates fliould always be plebeians. The fenate was
willing, that, in the eledion of quasftors, as in that o£
^lilitary tribunes, the people ihould, if they thought
proper, chobfe as many plebeians as patricians \ but the
tribunes obftinately requiring, that the people ihould not

^ Lir. !ib. iv. cap. 38x»4i« Val. Max, lib. vi. cap. 5, * Liv.
ibid, cap, 43» ^, ,

M ^ be

1^3

Sempronius
cited to an^
pwerjor
his conduQ
in the
battli.

The accu*

fation is
drop^id%

turbances
about the
fiu^orfiip»

164

An inter'
nx chofgn.

primius is
again cited,
and con-
demnedin
•Jim.

The Roman Hijiorj.

be left at liberty to choofc plebeians or patricians, tfie'
fenate thought it advifeable, rather than fubmit to thJk
condition, to dr6p the motion. The tribunes, by way of
revenge, protefted againft holding the comitia for ele^ng
confuls, and infixed on having military tribunes for the
next year. The obftinacy of the two parties threw the
republic. into anarchy, the tribunes oppofing even the fo-
nate's meeting to name an interrcx.

After warm difputes, the tribunes agreed to the nomi-
nation of an interrcx ; and the fenate chofe for that o&
fice L Papirius Mugellanus, who, by expoftulations and
foft pcrfuafions, brought the contending parties to this
compromifc, that the fenate fhould fufFer the people te
choofe military tribunes infteadof confuls; and that the
tribunes of the people fliould allow the tribes to beftow
the quaeftorfhip cither on patricians or plebeians. Not-
withftanding all the cabals and feditious harangues of the
tribunes of the people, not only the military tribunes but
the quaeftors, were chofen from the patricians only, though
on« of the tribunes had propofed his brother, and the
other his fon. The tribunes, enraged at this preference,
were bent upon accufing A. Sempronius, who had pre-
lided at the eledlion, of fomtf unfair dealing in taking
Vhe votes ; but as he was a man of known probity, and
one of the military tribunes, they turned their refentmeut
againft C. Sempronius, his coufin-german, who had not
been acquitted on his former trial, though the profecution
had been dropped at the requeft of Tempanius. He was
again cited to appear at the end of twenty-feven days,
during which time he conftantly attended the fenate, and
zealoufly oppofed the requeft of the tribunes concerning
the diftribution of lands. With the fame fteadinefs he
behaved on his trial, and pleaded his caufe with great
eloquence. Notwithftanding the folicitations of the fe-
nate, and the united teftimonies of many of&cers, who
ferved under him, he was fined fifteen thoufand afes of
brafs y. Soon after a Veftal, who, by the levity of her
conduct, had brought herfelf under a fufpicion of incon-
tinency, was tried befqre the pontifices, and acquitted ;
but the pontifex maximus admoniihed her to be more re-
ferved for the future *. In the following military tribune-
{hip of Agrippa Men6nius, Sp. Nautius, P. Lucretius,
and C. Servilius, a plot was formed by the flaves to fet
fire to the city, and feize the Capitol ; but the fecret be*
ing difcoyered by fome of the confpirators, the evil con-

7 Liv. lib. iv« cap, 44,

s IdeiD ibid.

fequenceft

^e 'Roman Hiftotyl

leqcteiids^ of It were prevented. The next ycar^ wlien
the republic was governed by three military tribunes only,
M. Papirius, C. Seryilius, and L. Sergiyis, Labicum, a
city of Latium, about fifteen miles diftant from Rome,
revolted, and entered iitto an alliance witb the jEqui ;
who, after haying pillaged jthe .territory of Tufciilum, en-
camped at the footcof Mo»«t'Algidus, Two of the mi-
litary trribwes were now ordered to take the field, while
the thir<l ftiQuld remaiain Rome.; buteacbof the three,
thinking himfelf the moft capable of commanding the
army, defpifed the Jefs glorious jemployment of governing
the city. 'I'bcienate was offended to fee tbree magiilrates,
whofe duty it was to take care of the intereft of the re-
public, facrifice it to their ambition \ but no one of that
body had weight enough to end the difputc. At length
Q^Servilius, who had been formerly diftator, interpofing
bis paternal authority, commanded bis fon C. Servilius to
remain at home ; and Caius, though defirous <of com-
manding the ; army, and raifed, above his father by the
office he thfn bore in the. republic, obeyed, without fliew-
ing the leaft yeluftafice.

The two generals agreeing no better in the field than
ID the city, the army under their command was drawn
into an ambufli, and entirely defeated. In confeqtience
of this difafter, the fenatc ordered a difilator to be created:
an4 young Servilius nongiinated his father, who appdfnted
him general of the horfe- I'he father and fonj^ leaving
Aome, at the. head of a numerous body of forces, en-
camped within two miles of the enemy ; ar\d, a few days
• aftery attacked them, put their army to flight, took La-
bicumit their place of refuge, by ftorm, and, returning
to Rome. eight, days after he had left it, refigned his of-
fice *.

The repiiblic enjoyed profound peace under the fuc-
ceeding military tribunes, P. Lucretius, L. Servilius,
Agrippa Menenius, and Sp. Veturius. But the n6xt year,
when A. Sempronius, M. Papirius, Q^Fabius, and Sp.
Nautius, governed the republic, the tribunes of the peo-
ple revived the old quarrel about the xliilribution of lands
8{>. Moecilius, and Sp. Metilius, who were at the head of
the fa£tious plebeians, pretended, that the patricians had
ufurped the lands they enjoyed ; and therefore propofed
a new divifion of them between the nobility and the
icpmmon people. The fenate met freque;itly to concert

165

Labicum

revolts.

The tn-
bunts dif*
agree
about the
command
of the
armjf.

7he Roman
army de- '
feated by -
the ^qui j

*who are
defeated fy
the dilator
^.,Ser*vi»
lius..

S^arrei
about the
diftributim
tf lands
revived.

» Liv. lib. iv. cap.. 45— 47.

M3

meafures

2 66^

fold taken
by tin
/Equi^ and
retaken by
fJieHqmans.

fejfhdmius
dijobliges'
the people.

- The Rontm ISflory^

meafurea for defisadng this propofd. Appiiflf GtMAtki
propofed gaining over fotne of the collcgB ci'iAie tribuftea^*
as the onty remedy agalnft th«ir tyranny* Hid adVieiaf
was receirred with great applaufe, and put in executibtt*
with fuccefs ; for the faithers> applying themfeives to Ad
tr4buaes> by entreaties and remotrrfbranoes^ gained oi^i fi^
of the ten to dppofe the piscmyulgation of di<s kw^'lb
that Msecil}U3 and Metiliiis were oUiged to dirop tt(«ir
petition ^, The fame good underflanding wti$' maititaiii^
ed all the next year between the fenate atld foMe d£ (te
tribunes, when Comelins Coflcrs^ Quindiusf Cificiffnattis]^
Valerius Volufus> and Fabius VibaiattUS) V^irfc ratKferf
tribunes. But in the'military tribimeftiip of^ C^ FabltR,
Cn. Cornelius, P. fofthumias> atld Li Vaidriiis, ttte a^r
of the agrarian law was refwcd*-

The Sxjfix having retaken Bola, a Heile to^n, triilctt
the Romans had' lately feized, P. PolMiumius, out of the
military tributios, was fent with an ariAy to recover it
After lome ikirmiltes with the enemy in the* fifcld> he
imRefted'i^-phice, ^nd^ to encourage his meki'i ^romtfed
to diftribute the plunder among tbem> if they took the
town. The place vt^ &6» sifcer carried by aiffittUt ; b^t
the general; who detefted the pleibeSans* of' whom< the
greateft part of> his arthy confiftedi brokef bis pi*o^nf^ife» atid
delivered all the fpoil into the han^ds of the (firs^ftbts, and
thereby alienated the hearts of the arniy ffbm him; In
the mean time Sextlvi5> ond of the tribunes of thift peojrfe^
having revised the arfait^ of the agrarian law, Bofthuttiias
was fent for to Roilie, tO'S(ffift his colleagues ihoppofitig
this meafure. As- he was* remarkably obflinatii, on his
arrival he let many inconfiderate expreflionft drop id the
prefence of the curke. Sextius having propefed a- dectte
for dividing the city of Bola, and its territory, among the
foWiers who had made that conqueft, PofthuirtStfs, ita a
violent paffion^ exclaiifftedi ^* Woe be t6 iriy rnen, if any
fuch thing he done." Sextius perceivings by this e^cprd'*^
fion, the temper oPthe general, took pleafure in efxaf-
perattng him, and making him \ife many exprefliofis^ of«
fenfivc to' the people and^ foldiers. Then the crafty^ tri-
bunei turning to the people, upbraided them fdr tliink-
ing- fuch a man more worthy of thtf office of military tri-
bune than their own tributics, whofe whole bufinefs- virtir
to* procure diem lands, houfefs, and a comferrtable rfetfcat-
irvthoit-old age. His artful' dif<iourf6 leflii^ithe parf

^ |Hein Ibid: & c^p; i|8;

tiality

The Raman Hifloryl i6|'

6ftHt7 of tfie pcopte for the nobility in' tlie eleftions ; but
when the threats of PdffihumuS were related in the camp,
the foldiers Began to muttny ; andbecaufe P. Seftius, one ^^^^ "^^^
of tl4e qua^ffiSlrs; ordered' a liftor to feize a foldicr who J^ ^"imfi
ijras lAore mutlttbuisf than the reft, hfe companions not
ohly reft?u&l hini*, but? one of theiii >^ouhded the quaiftbr
'wrtth' a' ftoiiy. P6fth\imius,' infoi^m^d' of this tumult, '

iitifteried- to' the cahip'; but', iiil^ead of ^ppeafing the (edi-
tibn, iftbi^'afcd it by his uttreafoiiiabTd feverity. He. com-
manded the^ mt)fli g^uilty of the mutineers to be thrown
into a^.ffiailb^^ v^ter, to be there cbvered' with hurdles,
and theii preflfed to death. As this wiaS a flbw kind of
death', which made the criminals cry out in .ah afF^fting
manner, the foldiers refcued them' from the Hah ds of the
executioners. 'Hie geiieral, in a tranfport of rage, left
his ti'ibiihii!, bh)ke through the cro^j^d,- and', being attend-
ed by his liftors', endeavoured' to dtfperfe the multitude ;
Wit' thi? Ibia^yrs oppofed' force wieV force, and^ bdng
\fr6iigKtu^tb\fii^y, threw ftohes at theif g^eral, artd'
fcilifed'him oh the fpdt^. This wias the flrft* inft'ance of a «»^*'^
cbttfiilaH'de¥ Klled'hy Hife troops, frotn the foundktibn of ^^"''.S^-

The fttfate, fearing left' the iJeoplfe, in order i6 fcteen
the murderers, fliould chufe militalry tribunes fbt the liext
Y^ firom theli^ own^ body, eiidfeavoured' to get coHfuU'
deSted, and, after Watm' debates,, prevailedl A; Corrie-
litis' Coffus,- and E. Furius MedUllinus, Were raifed to*
that dignity. As they were itien of great prudence arid'
nibderation j they Were iltianimoufly named by the fenate,
pKopleyand'arihy, to prbfedute the Ibldiers Who had mur- ^^^ ^j"^«'
dfered'thdi^ general ; whieh taffc they gerfbrrfied With fucli ^p^ii^^*
drcurtifpeftion, for ffeah of driving the amiy to an open
revolt, that thofe ffew Who died, fell by their own hands,
ahd not by the axes of the liftors. Nothing remarkable,
ckde'pt a plagiic and famine, . happened in th^ three foU
lowing eonfulatesjof Q^Fabius, and C. Furius, of M.
Papiriiis' and C. Nautius, of M. -fimilius and C: Vale-
rius.

But^in the confulate of Cn. Cornelius, and L. Furius, Yr. of Fl,
a-fecond time, the tribunes of the people, efpecially three . '^^J»V
of the Icilian family, who were more aftive than the reft, '^ J^ '
prfevailed upon the people to ufe the liberty allowed them u. c! 337,

r^y the laws, and to choofe three plebeians into the quse- m

^orfliJp.' l%e Idlii, having carried this point, encou-

c Livt lib^ iv. cap* 4^9, $6, Zonar. Aniial. lib. vii.

M4 wgcd

1 68 TJ^ Roman HiJioYy.

raged the plebeians to oppofe the ele&ion of omfiib^^
hoping, that fome of their bod]f might be raifed to the
military tribune(hip» as they had been to the quaeftorfhip.
The difputes grew warm, when news were brought, that
the iEqui and Volfci were again in motion, and had re-
taken Carventum. It was therefore neceffary to raife
forces, in order to ftop their progrefs ; but the tribune^
obdinately oppofed the levies, till the fenate confented to
the eleflion of military tribunes \ but, to difappoint the
Icily, they added this claufe to their decree, that no trir
bune of the people fhould either be choferi a -military, tri,
bune, or continued in his office for the next year. A$
the tribunes could ppt objeft to this reftridlion without dif-
cpvering their ambition, troops were raifed without op-
pofition ; and though Carventum was not recovered, the
city of Verrugo was taken fro pi the Volfci, and fome
other advantages gained over that people *.

In the mean time the clcftion of the military tribunes
approaching, the patricians engaged fome plebeians of no
merit or weight to ftand candidates. The people, dif-.
gufted at their meannefs, and afliamed to fee them ftand
in competition with fenators and confulars of the firft
rpnk, gave all their fufFrages to the nobles, and chofe
three patricians, C. Julius lulus, P. Cornelius Coffiis, and
C. Servilius Ahala. During their adminiftration the
Tket^olfii Volfci renewed the war, and having engaged fome of the
renew tht j^g^, alHes of tjie republic to join them, encamped near
An^jup. The fenate, apprehending the"^ republic to be in
grea^ danger, ordered a diftator to to be nominated; but
as the f:hree military tribunes had already drawn lots for
the co^ijiqiand of the army, which had fallen to Julius and
. Corneliufi thofe two generals, offended at the diftruft the
fathers had {hewed of their conduft, refufed to name a
diSator. i;i fhis emergency, the fenate complained to
the tribunes of fbe people, as they had done before upon
the like occafiqn, and defired them to interpofe their au-
thority : but they rejefted the propofal with difdain.
** Who' are we (fait! they), but contemptible plebeians,
• fcarce to be i-^^ckoned ii) the number of men, much lefs
of Roman citizens? Wh^n the honours and dignities of
the republic are made commOA to us with the patricians,
we fliall take care that no proud magiftrate difobeys the
decrees of the fenate : till thei] you muft exped no afliflr
^lys,^ frpni us." This refufal perple?ted the fenate j but at

f L,iv. lib. ^v. cap. 51, ^%.
' ' ' ^ength

^(Lfi

The Roman Htftory. fSg

fcfigth C. Servilius, the third military tribune, cirtricatcd
tbem out of the prefent difficulty, by taking upon him to
i^ alone, and to name a dictator. The perfon he raifed
to that high ftation was P. Cornelius Rutilus, who ap-
pointed him to be general of the horfe. The diftator P.Corm^
took the field, gained a complete yiftory over the Volfci, iius Ruttlnt
and, returning to Rome, laid down his office. Upon his ^^'"^ ^
refignation, the military tribunes refumcd the funftions of ^^™'
their employment } and, to be revenged on the fenate for onjer thg
the treatment they had met with, without confulting the f^olfcu
fathers, ordered the centuries to affemble for the eleftion
of military tribunes againft the enfuing year. The patri-
cians* alarmed at this ilep, had recourfe to a new artifice,
to prevent the government from falling into^thc hands of
the plebeians. They obliged the mod illuftrious members
of their own body to ftand candidates ; fo that, notwith-
ftanding the utmoft efforts of the tribunes, four patricians
of diftinguiihed merit were chofen, namely, C. Valerius^
C* CerviliuSy Lucius Furius, and Fabius Vibulanus^

The truce with the Veientes being expired, the Romans
fent feciales to demand fatisfa£lion for the injuries they
had formerly done the republic ; but the feciales, meeting
on the road envoys from Veii, at their requeft, proceeded
no farther. Thefe envoys, being admitted into the fenate,
reprefented that their city, being at prefent difturbed by
dpmeftic broils, was not in a condition to give the fatif-
faAion required. Thefe diffenfions gave the Romans a Generqfitf
favourable opportunity of attacking their old enemies ; oJ ^^f ^•-
but they had too much gen^rofity, as Livy obferves, to *»^*'*
take 'advantage of the misfortunes of a rival ftate. The
Volfci retook Verrugo from the Romans the fame year,
and put the garrifon to the fword ; but the military tri-
bunes, having furprifed the Volfci, while they were dif-
perfed. about the country, in queft of booty, cut (hem all
tp pieces ^.

. In the following tribuneibip of C. Cornelius, L. Vale-
rius, Cn. Cornelius, and Fabius Ambuftus, all patricians,
the Veientes having infulted the Roman ambafladors, and
driven them out of their city with contempt, the fenatQ.
ordered a declaration of war againft them to be immedi-
ately propofed to the people ; but the tribunes oppofed the ^
levies, on the old pretence of the agrarian law. However, *
it was agreed, that three of the military tribunes fhould
ipad an army againft the Volfci 5 who, at the approach 0/

• Liv. lib. iv. cap. 58. ^Idej^pibid*

the

'%ff0 The Ramm Iffiory.

tie Icgiotw, left .the country op^n tb be pnlfagcct ^^Mf

Rdman generals, having divided their amiy into* three

bbdiesy made incurfions- into it on three Afferent fide&

Fabiue lard fiege to Atixur, and; h^viiig' taledn it by ftorib^

divided the fpoil equally among the foldtei'S'* of the three

armies. This geneitofity paved the Wa?y iot a* rec6nci-

liation between the nobility and Ait people, iirhichi is'aft'

entirely completed by a decrtJe of the fetiUf^y that, tor Ae

future, the Roman infantry ihould }S€ m^ilir^ned in the

field at the public expence «.

Yr. of fl. Hitherto all the citizens had been oWi^d to ferve in

Antc^Chr. ^^^ *^ *^^'' o\vn' chargbs, and often' to tlh^ rtiin of^ their

408. * families. The fenate,- theiiefore,*refle>aiilg on the d«(br-

. U. C. 340. dbrs which vrere occafidned= by their rtjftifing to ifllift

themfelves even* for the moft nece^ry waW,- d^cit^ed,

Theinjan- that the foot ihould have payout df tht^^bKc mbn^yi
117 m<iv/ and that, to f apply this* expettte, a^ new^ t»t tffcmlii be
'^* raifed^ from which na citiato fliouldi \St exempt^ fB)i

Upon the news of this' decree,^ the* psftbttid, tfetifjporied)
with joy, ran in cnmds from all pai^s to tftH fetl^l^4muie,
and, kifiing the hands of the fenaVors^ctfUbdtdidth' 1^ ti^
fathers of the people ; protefting,' at the fa^tf tiitiev tHwr
they would fpiil the lift drop oP tMeir W66A fbr tttelr
country, which they now looked .upon a& a teiftlCT nioi-
ther; but the tribunes of the peoplei dliikirig ttife* mikat
of the two ordet^y Which prevented theiff frt)m matiing'a=
figure in the (fate', endeavoured to ' depreciate riitf favour.
They infinuftted to the" people,- thatf this' pay vi^s to come
' out of their own pockety 5 that it viras not juft to mkkc
thofb citizens^, who haki completed the time of their fer-
vice at their owh chalge, contribute to thefupporl of the
* new? foldiers ; and that thefy vj^uld pt^teft all thbfe who
fliould refufe to paytbetai'. HoWfcver, as the Ifentitots
began by laying great fums on themfelves, \^hibh they
paid readily, according to the real value of their eftates,
the common people foUoWed'their example, \lrithoilt fhew-
ing the leaft uneafinefs*.

g Liv. lib. iv. cap. 4S, 45^. h Idem ibid, * Idem ibid,

Zonar. lib. vii. Pitii. lib. xx^iil; ckp. 3.

(B) What pay was given at a centurion double that pay,
this time to each foldier, we and a horfeman treble. Two
find no where recorded; but oboli were about the third
in Polybius's time, that is, iii part of an AWc drachma,
thfe time of the^lteortdCartha- which was wofth^ feven-pehtft
ginian war, each foot-foldier three farthings of our mo-
was allowed tW6' oboli a day, ney;

*rh« femttf, fihiitig themfelvcs* Jn a» ^onditiKm^ wmilry^
tsrin an army abri^d^ as Icnig^ as t^e]ff pte^d^ foiprhfed^gi^e^'
dcfigns* Alf OffoMovt %6 the knifes te$hg at an ^hd^*
they refolt^d to befiegis Veiiy one of the ftitmgifift Jlacc^i
of Italy, in ho^s of matiihg thcmfdt^ maftera of » ne^*
city anrf territory krger than thtir'dWtt. Before thfey en**'
burked in this great undertabing^- tteJ peoj)le being aflfemi.'
H©<f, trnanimouliy voted for a Waf, and^ chbfe, ftjt the*
fi^ft tittle^ fix nlH'itary tribunes, all ^atrieibna ; namdy,*
C. Julias luluB, C. AmMA Mafrtierdnud, T. Q^ndtiulT'
Capitolinus, L* Ftirius MediiUlnus, (^ Quintftitiis Cin*-'
citfnatus^ and * A. Manlius YvtXto Ca^tolin^i^ \ Some' ^
thefe remained at home, while others tookthe ikld agalnfl?^ '
the Veientes, ^hb, declining a l^attfl^V ^^^ t«he4nfelves
x^ iti th^ir cityi Thfe Roitilins invefted it ; bnt tfti^Pe wW 7?/> Tfo.
Iktfo aftion thi^ year, arid' Mi the' fallowing, whei* P, fMnsin*^
Com^Bns Malugeiienfis, Sp. Nautius- Rurilius,. €ri. Cor^^ ^«^ ^''''^*
nlsitosr 6oirdi8> C. V'aleriud Potktt^, C. ]?abiiiiS'A>ihb(iths^^^
and M» Serrius'IlttenftB^,' Were iftiKtary tfihrwei; Thfef<F
\^rC' obliges to &i\A^ thd? artft^ in^ t^O'bbdiaf j^ otft?*
of 'Vlrhich contiiiiite'd' before Veii, alid' the other iti^t<i»fW/
againft the Volfel, dfefeated'tfcetmV tdofc and rafcd'ihfe dtf
OP Arterta> arid their i^jdined^ thcrft»ees Itfft at the' fife|e K

1?he fbccecdiWg;iicfiHtary tfributieS^- M; -fimilios< M; Ri-i
rius, A'p. Claudius, gfrattdfon oP the dec^crAvir,- L. JiiH^^^
M: <^nftiu8, and Bt-ValelitJd, ptiriied'ori thefiege with
gl^erft vigour. In the niesm time tlic Vei«ntes, changirtg ^^^ jretgn4^
tft^r^fbrm of governitient, chofc a' king i a riieafure Which tes chooft «
f§ dU^bafed thfr other ffates of Hetruria^ tliat they re* king.
fufed to fend them any fuecoiirsi If was' at this fiege
tftat' tfte Rbmans arfe fuppofed tb haVe invented line^-of
cifcumvallatiort arid' eohtravallatidn v ^t' leaft^ this is the^
firft time we flifdtheln rtieritioncd in hiftory. Theyfbr-
tifled thdi' camj>' both on the fidft of the city thefy inveftfed,-
t6 prevent fallitfsf, and ori' the fide of ttte country,- to*
gvfard^ againflf any fuccours Virhidi the Bcfrurians might^
ftndto the befife^d. The railltai^ ttibunefe, corifideririg^
tkai Veii could ridt be taken but after a- long fiege, and'
then not fo much by forctf-as by ffemirie,' rcfblvedy as the ne Roman
troops M^ere no\«^ mor^ at their oorrimarid, tb'kteep'the' army kept
army in- the field all'winter, inwoodfen barrackisi co\f^ftd' ^» '^^/'^
^<#ith flcins; To this defign the foldiert made no opjiofii
tion, chobfing rather tOfUve' in the c'a^ atthe exptent'e oP
the public than' in Rbriie at< tKeir Owti*^' bjot the* ttibunes**

^Us.Wi^.^ft^f ' ^Idemibid.

of

:i;;72 ^^ Romn Hjfiory.

of (he people, difliking a projcft which kept great num-
bers of their adherents out of Rome, and confequently
leflened the ftrength of their party in the cortiitia, aflem-
bled the tribes, and ipveighed bitterly againfl; the military
tribunes, accufing them of ambitious defigns and cruelty,
in keeping the troops all winter in the field. Appius,
whom the other military tribunes had left at Rome, in a
long fpeech to the people, expofed the feditious and cm-
reafonable conduA of the tribunes.- The people gave no
' sittention to Appius's remonftrances ; but ^ lofs which the
befiegers fuftained before the place, animated th^ plc-
. beians, more than his prudent difcQurfe, to purfue the
ficge with vigour.
The Fit-' The Veientes, v\ a fally, furprifed the'Romans, flew s

**i?/?^*' &^^ number of them, fet fire to their machines, and
jL/A. * ruined, in a few hours, the work of many days. This<

• * , misfortune, inftead of finking . the fpirits oit the Romans,
infpired them with new courage. I'he citizens,' who h^d.
wealth enough to be placed in the.firft.e}af6^simopg the
knights, but had not yet received horfes fj^oai- tb^ republic
(which ceremony was neceflary to make a m^ a knight),
went in a body to the fenate, and offered. to mount them- ^
felves at their own expence, and ferve at the fieg^ of Veil.
The fathers accepted the ofier ; and tl^;pe<^le, following
the example of the new knights, declared themfelves ready
to ferve, and fupply the places of tjie foldiers who h^d
np.cayaU been killed. The fenate ordered the fame pay to be given
rtreceinjt ^q ^^ volunteers as to the reft of the army, and decreed
^* at the fame time, that the cavalry likewife fliould receive,

pay out of the public tpeafury °».

The eleftion of oew military tribunes furnifhed the
army with new generals. The fix chofen were, C. Ser-
yilius, Q^Sulpitius, Q^ Servilius, A. Manlius, L« Virr
ginius, and Manius Sergius. The Cege of Veil was car-
negetti' ried on by the' two latter ; but as thefe two generals could
ralsdif- not agree, each of them had a body of trpops undcri,hi$
^T*'*' command, and, as it were, - a feparj^te army. Sergius

commanded the attack, and Virginius covered the fiege.
While the army was thus divided, the Falifci a>nd Cape-
nates fell upon Sergius, and, ,at the fame^ time, the be-
fieged fal lying out, attacked him 9p the other fide. The
Romans under his command, thtAking they had all the
forces of Hetruria to contend with, began to lofe courage,
and retire. Virginius could have (avied his colleague's

» Liv« lib. It. cap. i— j,
"i , troop?!

^e Roman U^ory. 173

tfopps, for Kis forces were ranged in order of battle at a
fmajl diftance \ but Sergius was too proud to fend to him "
for fuccour; and Virginius, though not uhacquainted
with his danger, refolved not to fend him any unlefs he
afked it. Thus the public good was facrificed to private
pique. The enemy made a dreadful flaughter of the Ro- TkeRo*
mans in their lines ; but Sergius havingt^he good luck to ^^*' ****'•
efcape, fled to Rome, not fo much to juftify his own con- ^y^'^^^
du£l as to complain of that of his colleague. In confe-
quence of his complaint Virginius was recalled, and both
commanders were ordered to give an account of their con-
du£fc to the fenate ; where they inveighed againft each
. other with great acrimony. The confcript fathers thought Ailthim*
it advifeable to make a decree, that all the military tri- ^^^^^ '''<-
bunes of that year fhould lay down their dignity, and ^*''^
the people immediately proceed to a new eledion. The jQrctdH
four, who ^were innocent, made no oppofition to the abdic^t*
decree 5 but thofe two, on whofc account it had been
made, protefted againft it; declaring, that they would
not reiign their authority before the ides of December,
the due time for its expiration. The tribunes of the peo-
' pie, thinking this a favourable opportunity for them to
appear again, and make fome figure, threatened, with an
air of authority, to fend the ^two refradiory magiftrates
to prifon, if they did not obey the fenate. But Servilius
Ahala, one of the military tribunes, after having feverely
reprimanded the tribunes of the people for treating his ,
colleagues in fo haughty a manner, declared, that if Ser-
gius and Virginius continued ohftinate, he would name
a dilator*. The two magiftrates, finding it fruitlefs to
refift any longer, abdicated their magiftracy ; and the peo-
ple chofe fix new tribunes, namely, L. Valerius, L. Ju- ^^^ '''*■
lius, M ^milius, Cn. Cornelius, Caefo Fabius, and Fu- *?*5'
rius Camillus. Thefe new magiftrates were ordered to
re-commence the fiege of Veil ; but when the troops came
to be raifed, the tribunes of the people kindled freih
broils, by difiuading the old foldiers from paying the taxes^
a^ if they were exempted* from that burden by being in-
lifted. The difturbances raifed on this occafion were fo
great, that the tribes could not agree in the choice of more
than eight new tribunes of the people ; however, the ma-
jority of thefe eight named twd more, in defiance of the
Trebonian law. This incident aflTorded C. Trebonius,
one of the prefent tribunes, an opportunity of drawing

a Liv. lib, v« cap. 9.

the

1^4 The ^jmm Uiftory.

tbe 4irpleafuf e of the pegfife lupon thoee of his coll€^a|^$ }
but ihey diverted tbe lijitfed of the public from tK^ni-
felves, ^y turnis^ it ;^aij9ft Ser^ius and Virginius, 4;be-Cwo ,
^ner;ils of die Xa(l yejM:, whf> wOTiC )»oth cited before tjb6
people/ and condenuied Co pajr a great fioe for iniCpQJ9-
Am&.. This profecution had ^e defiigi)ke4 effe£i ; for the
pe.Qple were fo inteat upon it, th»x. they forgot the Trefao*
jaian law, and ^\^^ diher caafe of oppofitiqn ^.

The tribunes reoewed the dojOKeftic broiUy and pix>*

po&d two laws; the firft cequiring a partition of the

lands as formerly^ the £econd exeufing the peopj/e from

a^y 9iore contributions towards the pay of ihe £9ldi«rs \

and, in fad, they would not fuffer them to pay the taxes;

fo that the legions, being deprived of their fubfiftenc^i

AfdihetM began to.mutiny. But at length all was qmeteid, by choof- .

t^fitt mtj- j^g ^ plebeian into the military tribiundhip. His npwM*

imZ ^^'* ^^^ ^' Licinius Calvus. The other frwc were, P. Maelius,

p. M^nius, Sp* Furiust h. Titinlus, and L. Publilius.

Licinius, thou|^ a plebeian, was an old fenator; for,

{qvf^ time Gnce, the conTiderable plebeians had begun to

be admitted into the (enate. The tribunes of the people

weiie fo much rejoiced to fee a plebeian railed to the fu-

preme magiftracy, that they dropped iixw oppofition to

the tax ; fo that the foldiers, receiving their pay^ refumed

their courage, made tbemfelves mafters of Anxur, which

belonged to the Vollci, and carried on the fiege of Veji

.with great refolution and perfeverance, though they fuf-

iered n)uch from the fevere cold of the winter ?•

lacinius having difcharged his truft with uniyerfal ap*

Ftvepii' probation, the centuries chofe, for the year following,

hfiaffj m- live military tribunes out of the plebeians, and only M.

iitarjtri' Vctufius of the patricians. Thcfe five were, C. Duj-

tM€s. Yi\xsy L. Atinius, Cn. Genucius, M. Pompouius, and Vo-

lero Publilius. Their adminiftration proved glorious; for

they carried on the (lege of Veii with vigour, and entirely

defeated the confederate forces of the Falifci and Ca^

penates, who came to the relief of the befieged city ; but

the extreme coldnefs of the weather changing of a (iiddea

to ^xceQive heat, occafioned a mortality both among men

gnd cattle (C). j

9 Liv. lib. y. ^|kp. 9, %p, P Ic|«m il^id. cap, %%, %t»

(C) Hereupon the Sibylline beds were placed in a temple
books being conf Lilted,^, the du- round a plentiful table; and
umviri pretended to fiiid there the liatues of Apollo, Latona,
a new fort of expiatiout Three I>iai»9| "H^cules, Mercury,

and

•Ju the mean time the patficvins, taking ad?ant9^e of All tht mi*
the prefent ftate of affairs to recover the chief offices of ^ary tri- .
the republic, aad knpwjng the fuperftition of the people, ^»«f'^^-
xeported, tjbat the uncommon fevexity of the laft winter, ^^^^.*
and the prefent yearns plague, were punifhments from the
gqds^ wiio were difpleafed to fee all diftindlionsof families
confounded, and jJebeians placed in the higheft office^ •
Py thefe infinuations, and by proppfing only fuch candi-
dates to the centuries as were of fuperior merit, they ^if-
pofed them to favour the nobility : accordingly they re-
ftored t^^ie military trib^nefhip to the patrician order, raif-
ing to that office L. Valeriius, L. Furius, M. Valeriup,
<^ServiJi,i,is, Q^Si^lpitjius, and the famous Camillus, all
patrician^*!. X^uring their adminiftration, Rome w^s The lake
allpf>iA^e4 with a prodigy. It happened to be a very dry Alba wef
fu^mer ; neyerthele£5 xjbe lake of Alba fwelled on a Aid- flows*
den to fuch a height, as to cover the tops of the rocks
.»fhich furroijinded it ; whereas it bad neyer before reache4
to tpe foot of th?/n. Thia accident was much talked qf
jji tbp camp tvefore Veii ; ^nd, as in long fiegcs, the fol-
dier^ op Voth fides frequeiuly becpme acquainted, they
talked of the prodigy fro^ their different camps ; but ap
ojdfoldier.of the Veientes, while the others yrere making
merry wjth th/s prodigy, cried out in an enthufiaftic man-
ner, ** y eii (hall never be taken till all the water is run
put of the lake of Alba,'* A Roman centinel, who had
great faith in divination, hearing him, aiked who the old
man was ; and being informed that he was a diviner,
made him prifoner by a ilratagem, and carried him before
jthe Roman general, who fent him to the fenate. The
old man declared, that what he had faid was agreeable to
an ancient tradition written in fbme prophetic books of
his country ; and that, if the Romans could draw the
water out of the lake, Veii would be taken : but he ad-
vifed them to take particular care, that the drains, which

q Liv. lib. v. cap. 14.

and Neptune, taken down from friends, ftrangers, and even

their niches, laid on the beds, enemies ; all law-fiiits, dif-

andferved with magnificent re- putes, and apimoliti^s were

pails for eight days together, fufpended, and the very pri-

Thefe public ceremonies were foners releafed, to partake of

^it^ted in private families; the public diverfion* (i).
f very one kept open houfe for

(2} Liv» lib, v.cap. 13. Sigonius k Plghiusin Faft. CapitoU

ihould

176

nree fm-
triiiaMS
ftnt to COM-
JuUthi
•rude of
Delphi.

Canah are
wukde to
dnaitttke
take.

rheRo'
mans over*
come by the
Hetruri"

MS. Furius

Camtlhts

diAaior.

Defeats

the forces of
the Fali/ci,
Capenata,
and Hetru^

The koman tiijior).

Ihould be made to carry it off, did not convert it to the fc^;
Though the fenate was unwilling to truft the affertion df
the diviner, yet they thought the matter of fuch confe-
quence, as to fend a deputation of three patricians to
JDelplii, to confult the oracle'.

Thefe returned the next year, while L. Julius, L. Fu-
rius, L. Sergius, A* Pofthumius, A. Manlius, and P.
Cornelius, all patricians, were military tribunes. The
anfwer of the oracle was, to the great furprize of the fe-
nate and people, perfeftly agreeable to the advice and
prediftion of the old man. The fenate, therefore, im-
mediately fent out pioneers to make a canal, which might
carry off the waters of the lake, and convey them all over
the fields in trenches. This wonderful work fubfifts to
this day, and the waters of the lake Albano run through
it •. The eledion of. the prefent military tribunes being
defeftive with regard to the auguries, they all abdicated,
and, after a fliort interregnum, were fucceeded by fix
new ones, all plebeians ; to Vit, L. Atinius, P. Maelius,
L. Titinius, P. Maenius, Cn. Gemicius, and P. Licinius.
Atinius and Genucius marched with fome troops to op-
pofe a great body of Hetrurians, who were coming to at-
tack the Roman intrcnchments before Veil ; but the tw6
tribunes falling into an ambuih, Genucius was killed, and
his colleague driven out of the field. The news of this
defeat fo terrified the fenate, that they had recourfe to ^
didlator. M. Furius Camillus was accordingly raifed to
that fupreme dignity. He named P. Cornelius Scipio for
general of the horfe, and ordered new troops to be raifed.
The people contended who fliould firfl: lift under the
banners of fo renowned a commander. The Latins and
Hernici fent him a ftrong fupply of their beft troops;
On his taking the field, he came to a battle with the
united forces of the Falifci, Capenates, and. Hetrurians j
and having entirely defeated them, fat down before VeiF,
and puflied on the fiege with incredible vigour ; but the
befieged defending themfelves with more courage. than
ever, • Camillus, defpairing to carry, by afiault, a place
which had a whole army for its garrifon, had recourfe to
mines and fapping. His pioneers, whom he divided into
fix companies, relieving one another, and the work con-
tinually advancing without interruption, a paffage under-
ground was opened to the caftle. The didator then
thinking himfelf fure of conqucft, fent to the fenate, to

' Idem ibid. cap. 15, i6.

• Vide Kirchcr. Vet. Lat. lib. iii.
know

Th Roman Hijioty. 177

Iciibw ho^y^'they would have the fpoils of the city difpofed

of. The queftion was debated with great warmth; Ap-

«piu8 Claudius was for having the rich plunder of Vcii

made a fund for the payment of the troops ; but Licinius,

thinking that this would give rife to ^ndlefs murmurs and ^

feditions, propofed, that the fpoils fhould be divided be^-

tween the army and thofe citizens who ihouM be in the

camp when the town Was taken. This advice prevailed ;

and a decree was made, giving leave to all the citizens td

go to the camp, and take their fhare of the booty. Ac*

cordingly raft numbers flocked thither^ well armed, and

joined the didlator's troops in the attack ^

The fignal being given for the aflault, part of the army Yr. of FL
fcaled the walls, while the foldiers in the mine fallied out, '94f •
and fpread thcmfelves in feveral bodies through the town. ^^^ ^^^*
One fell upon thofe who were defending the walls ; .an- u cf ^49-
other broke down the. gates ; and the whole Rom^n army t

entering the city, put all thofe to the fword who did not f^eii taken^
furrender their arms. Thus was the rich city of Veii ^l^^^oten
taken, like a fecond Troy, after a ten years fiegc. The Jf*^^^ M^*
booty, which was exceeding rich, was divided among the ^

foldiers ; but the prifoners of free condition were fold to
the beft bidder, and the money;arifing from thence placed
in the public treafdry ; but though this was the only part
of the fpoil from which the public reaped any benefit,
the people murmured, and inveighed both againft the fe-
nate and the di6):atof. \

The difpleafure of the multitude was incfcafed with re- ^^piopti
gard to CamiUus, by fome Angularities in the pomp of his jf'^'^"'
triumph ; for he entered the city in a magnificent chariot, ^^^•j ^^^ '
drawn by four horfes, milk-white, and coloured his face du3*
with vermilion. White horfes, fince the expulfion of the
kings, had been allowed only to. Jupiter and the Sun j
and the ftatues of the gods were commonly painted with
vermilion. The people, therefore, in the midft of the
praifes which they beftowed on the diftator, could not,
without a fecret indignation, behold him afFe£ting a pomp,
which put him' upon a level with the gods. What ftill
more incenfed the people, was his demanding back from
them a tenth part of the fpoil of Veii, to difcharge a vow,
which he had made to Apollo juft before the afTault, and
afterwards forgot* This lU-timed demand irritated the
people againft him ; and the tribunes gladly feized fo fa-
vourable an occafion of encreafing their prejudice. In

« Liv- lib, V. cap. i8«- 204
VoL.X N tbt

J78

Sicinms
Dentatus
propofis,
that half
9fthi ft-
natorsy
knights, -
^ JbouU
temove to

TaUru hi*
fiegtdhy
CamiUus,

^he RomM fTiftory.

%hc mean time, it was propofed to bay fucb avafe of goM
with the produce of what the foldiers returned, as might
fliew Greece the magnificence of the Roman republic^
but there being little gold tq, be found in the city, the lar
dies, of their own accord, contributed all their toys ani
ornaments, of which a vafe with two handler was made,
weighing eight talents, and three fenators were fent to
Delphi with it. In return for this inftance of female gcr
nerofity, the republic granted them two favours; r. That
funeral orations fhould be made for illuftrious women, a$
for great men. 2. That they fhould hare leave to ride ia
chariots at the public games ".

Next year, the republic being under the government of
fix military tribunes, P. Cornelius Coflus, P. Cornelius
Scipio, M. Valerius, Caefo Fabius, L. Furius, and Q^Ser-
tilius, all patricians ; Sicinius Dentatus,. a' tribune of the
people, propofed, that half of the fenators, knights, and
people of Rome, (hould go and fettle at Veii, The af*
fair, according to cuftom, was carried befpre the fenate;
and the fathers, efpecially. Camillus, oppofed it with
great warmth. They feared, that two fuch cities would,
by degrees, become two different dates, which, after a
deftrudive war with each other, would at length fall a
prey to their common enemies. They therefore protefted,
that they would fooner die than confent to fo unreafon-
able a law. By this refolute behaviour, Camillus, and
the other fenators, rendered this proje£k abortive ^.

Notwithftanding the oppofition made by Camillus jt!>
this law, he was chofen one of the fix military tribiihes
for the year following. His colleagues werc^JL* Furius,
P. Cornelius Scipio, C. ^milius, Sp. Pofthunfiius, and
L* Valerius. The condudi of the war againft the Falifci
being conmiitted to the care of CamiUus, he befieged Fa-
krii, their capital city, and furrounded it with lines ; but
at fo great a- diftance from the walls> that there was fufn
ficient room for the befieged to take t}^t air, without
danger. The Falifci had brought from Greece the cufiom
of committing all their children to the care of one man,
appointed to inftrudl them in all the branches of polite
literature, to condu£b them into the fields for the benefit
of the air, and fee them perform the exercifes proper for,
their age. The children had ufed often to walk with
their mafter without the walls of the city before the fiege^
;m^ their fears of ^n enemy, who kept c|uiet> and at fuch

vpiut. in Camiilo. Liv. lif?. y. cap* ai«^4t
cap. *4, %s*

w Lir. lib. r*
adiftftlVCe,

ft dtftailce, '^cr^ not great cndugh to make them difcon*
tinue that exercifc afterwards. The fchoolmafter proved
a traitor : he at firft led the youths only along the walls ;
then he carried them a little farther j and at length, when
a favourable opportunity offered, he led them through
the guards of the Roman camp, quite to the general's
tent. As they were the children of the beft families in
the place, their treacherous leader, when he came into
Camillus^s prefence, addrefied him thus: ** With thefe
children I deliver the place you befiege into your hands t
they were committed to my care and tuition ; but I prefer
the friendfliip of Rome to my employment at Falerii."

Camillus, (truck with horror at this treachery, ordered
his iiflors to ftrip the traitor, to tie his hands behind himi
and to furnifh the youths with rods to fcouree him back
again into the city. The Falifci, moved by this generous Tht falifd
action, immediately fent a deputation to Camillus, to f^^itt9
treat of a furrenden though they had a little before pro- ^^*''
tefted, that they would rather undergo the fate of the
Vcientes than fubmit to Rome. Camillus referred the
deputies to the fenate, which they addreffed in the fol-
lowing manner: ** Rome, confcript fathers, has juft noW*
gained a victory over us, which can never be (hameful
to us in the fight either of gods or men. We fubmit to
you, from a perfuafion, that we cannot lire more happily,
than under the laws olF a republic in which juftice and
probity reign. The Romans and Falifci arc this day giv-
ing two great examples to pofterity 5 yoa, in preferring*
juftice to victory ; we, in rafthct yielding to the charms of
virtue than to the force of arms. We furrender outfelve^
into your hands. Command the Falifci to lay down theit
arms, to give you hoftages, and to receive a Roman gar-
rifoti : we will obey, and open our gates. We fcall
never repent of fubjefling ourfelves to your government ;
nor (hall you ever have reafon to complain of our being ^

Hnfaithful." The fenate heard this addrefs with plcafure ;
but left to Camillus the terms of the peace which was to
be made with the Falifci, not as a con^quered people, but .
as with a nation whith voluntarily fttbmitted to the do-
ihinion of the republic. He therefore entered into an al-
liance with them, and demanded only the expences of
the prefent campaign. He then led back his army td
Rome, where his foldiers increafed the number of his
enemies. They had promifed themfelves great riches front
the plunder of Falerii ; and thinking Camillus had given
the Falifci too favourable ternis, they conficlcred their

N 2 general

iSo

The JEqui
defeated.

Hew dif"
turbancet
at ikome*

Confult
treated in-
fiead of
military
tribuueSm

fhe Roman Hifiory.

general as an enemy to the people ; fo that their hatr^^
to this hero encreafed with his reputation \

While C-imillus was thus employed, two of. his col-
leagues, iEmilius and Pofthu^iius, having united their
forces, defeating the ^qui $ but while the arms of the
republic profpered abroad, new difturbahces were raifed
"at home. When the time came for ele£ting tribunes of
the people, the multitude was for continuing thofe who
had propofed the law for migrating to Veii j and the patri-
( cians were refolded to re*ele£k thofe who had oppofed it j
but the former prevailing in the comitia by tribes, the
promoters of the law were re-chofen. The patricians, in
revenge, determined, if poflible, to reftore the confular
government: accordingly, ih the comitia by centories,
where they had moft fway, L. Lucretius Flavos, and Se-
verus Sulpitius Camerinus, were chofen confuls* Dur-
ing their adminiftration, Sicinius, the tribune, ufed his
utmoft endeavours to get the law pafled for removing half
the people and fenate to Veii. A, Vi/^inius and Q- Eom-
pouius> twd of the tribunes of the people for the iallyear,
who had oppofed it, were cited to appear before the
tribes, and fined ten thoufand afes of brafs. The whole
fenate was o^iided at this fentence, but efpecially Ca-
millus, who advifed the confcript fathers to appear in
the comitium, when the tribes aiTembled to determine the
affair, as men prepared to defend their temples, their
houihold gods, and their country. Accordingly the pa-
tricians by tearSj intreaties, and the more power&tl argu-
ments drawn from religion, prevailed fo far, that the law
was reje£ied, though by a majority of one tribe. The
fenate was fo well pleafed. with the people, that the next
morning a decree was ptfed, afBgning fix acres of the
lands of Veii, not only to every father of a family, but to
every fingle perfon of free condition. On the other hand,
the people, delighted with this liberality,, made no oppofi-
tion to the elefkion of confuls. L. Valerius Potitus, and
M. Manlius Capitolinus, were raifed to the confulace,
and began their year by performing the vow made by Ca-
millus, when didlator, to celebrate the Great Games.
Of thefe there were two forts, the one celebrated every

I ear in the month of September, in honour of Jupiter,
uno, and Minerva ; the other called Votive, or extra-
ordinary, had no fixed day, and was celebrated in honour
^f Jupiter only. This year the Volfinii, one of the twelve

' Plut in Camillo. Liv. lib. v« cap. 26, 27.

Hetrurian

The Roman HlJIoty. iBi

Hetrurian nations, alarmed at the fate of Veii arid Faleril,
took arms againft Rome^ and, being joined by the Salpi-
nates, made incurfions into the Roman territory ; but a
contagious diftemper obliged the republic to fufpend her .
revenge. The two c6nfuls being feized with it, the fuper-
ftitious muhitude imagined they had been inaufpicioufly
chofen. They were therefore ordered by the fcnate to
refign ^^

Upon their refignation an interregnum enfued, during ^, ;^^^.
which the republic was governed by three prefidents, ngnnm.
Valerius Potitus (not the eopful), Camiilus, and Corne-
lius Scipio, who fucceeded each other for a few days. .
Valerius held an affembly for the cleftion of fix military Military
tribunes, ' (which fort of government was now re-eftablilh- tnbunef
ed), that, in cafe fome of the fupreme magiftrates fliould '^'^'^
be infefled with the contagion, there might ftill be others ^'^^^
to take care of the public. By a cenfus taken this year, it
appeared, that the number of citizens, able to bear arms,
^mounted to one hundred fifty-two thoufand five hundred
and eighty-three*. No wonder, therefore, that numer-
ous armies were often raifed within the walk of Rome
itfclf. The trbops, fince their receiving pay, were more
c^edient than, formerly to their commanders, who kept
them in the field fummer and winter. They had never
had a more gallant or experienced commander than Ca-
millas. The frontiers of the republic were now extended
above fixty miies beyond the Tiber, and the people feem-
ed to be in a ftate of tranquility, and petfpftly reconciled
to thefenate: but thisunufual profpcrity was interrupted
by the Gaul$ ; a memorable event, which almoft ruined
the Roman nation.

At this time envoys arrived af Rome from the inhabit-p-
ants of Clufium, imploring the afliftance of the republic
•againft an army of Gauls, which had made an irruption
into Italy, and now befieged their city. The occafion of ^^^^. •^^**
the irruption and fiege was this : Arunx, one of the chief ^^J^^f*' -
men of Clufium, in Hetruria, had been guardian to a ^^^ ^Qau^
young lucumo, or lord of a lucumony, and had educated
him in his houfe from his infancy. The lucumo, as foon
as he was of an age to feel the force of paflion, fell in
love with his guardian's wife, and found means to convey
her away. Arunx endeavoured to obtain reparation for
the injury he had received; but the lucumo, by his in-
^ereft and money, gained over the magiftrates ; fo that tde

J Lib. lib. V. cap. ft9— '31. * Idem ibid. cap. 31, 31.

N 3 injured

m

Clufikm &r*
/ieged by

A moHcms

ficcufdtioa
brought
againfl
CamtiiuSf

unfwer to
the Roman

3>&tf Rmau Bifio^.

injured guarcUat^ finding oo proteflors in Hetruria^reai
folved to make hi^ application to the Gauls. iThe people
to whom he. chofe to addrcfs hinafclf were the Senones).
a;id, in order to engage them in his quarrel, he ac<juaint»
f d thepi with the great plenty of Italy, and. made theat
tgfte of fome Italian wines, 'Die Senones thus allured an4
encouraged, rcfolvcd tp follow his advice* A: numerous
lirmy was immediately formed, which> paiBng the AXfs^
under the-condud of their Hetruxian guide* aiuL leaving
the Celtde in July unmolefted, fell upon Umhria, and*
poffcfled theinfelves of^ all the country from tUvenna to.
Picenum, They fpent.ahout fijt years, in fettling Aem-
(elves in their new acquifitiQjj&, while the Rxwaans wcrc^
carrying on the fiege of Veii. At length Aruna; hcougb^.
the S^nones before CluGum, in order to befig^ that plaoei
where his wife and her lover ref^ded^

Th^ {lomans, notwith (landing the daily conquefts madi;
by the Gauls, feem to have been under no apprehenCon
qf any dang^ ( for at. this time Camillus, the only ge^
neral they, had. capable, of making oppofition to fuch for«
midaUe meighbours, was^accufed by Apuleius, one of, the.
tribunes of the people,, of having applied -to his pwn^ufe
^nie fpoils taken from the Hetrurians, particularly abraft.
door brought fi^om V^ii, His friends, not findii^ t^em^
felves ftrong enough to protect him, promifed to pay the
fine which (hould oe laid upon him ; but Camillus, hav«
ing too great a foul to bear the affront of a public con-
demnation, retired from Epmei and went, voluntarily
intob?^ifllment^

He was ns> fooner gone than the envoy^i mentioned,
above, arrived. The fenate, being unwilling to engage
in an open war with a people who had never ofitcnded
them, fent stn embaiTyvpf three young patricians, all faro-
thers, of- the Fabian family> to efie6^ an accommodation
between the two nations. Thefe ambafladors, being arrived
^X the camp, of the GauJs, and conduced into t;he couacil|.
o.ffered the mediation of Rome ; and demanded of Bren-
nus, the leader of the Gauls, what injury the Quiini had
done him; or what pretenfions any peopk from a; re?
n?ote country could have uponHetruria. Bfcnnus anfwer-
ed proudly, that his right lay. in his fwor^, and that al}
things belanged .to the brave; but that, without having
rc^icpurfe to thi& primitive law of nature» he had a ju0: comi? ^
pd^nt agaipft the Qlufians, who» having mof e lands than ,

* Jiv» Ub. Vt cap.. 5 J, • ^ Jdcm ibid, cap. %%^

^faey

fhe Roman ISJfaty. 18^

iKtey cottld cultivate) had reftifed to yield to Mm thofe
€hey left untilled. And what other motives had yoU|
Romati^' f ikid he), to conquer fo many neighbouring na-
tions ? Yotr have deprived the Sabines, the Albans, the
Fidenatiis, thcl iEqui, and the Volfci, df th^ bcft part o^
their territories: Not that we afccufc you of irijuftice i
but It is evident that you doM^ttcd this as the prime ana
ihoft anftftent of all'hwg,^ to liiake tHe wdak give way to
Ae ftrohg.' PoAcar, therirftre, to intereft yourfelves fot^
Ac CJafini ; br "alloi;^ Us to take 'the part of the peopid
yoii have fvidtied *.

' The Fabii" Were provoked at fd haughty an anfweri'
But, diflembKng their refeiitttienti defired leave to ga .
jhito the tbwri, under pi'etence of conferring with the ma^
giftratefs; But they w«re ho fooner admittc<i into thtf
^lace, than tfaej* began to excite the inhabitants to a' vi- T^heimprw
gorod^'drffiiSfce; and, fcirgettirig tHeii- charafter^ cfaey put ^f^tbtha-
ttietrtftjlvdsat^tHe head of the befieged in a faHy, in which' '^^ ^^
<^ FaWus, th<^' chief of the ainbaflad'ors, flew one of the amM^^
phricij^al dffiCerrs df the'Gfemlsf. Provoked* by this outrage, doru
Bredntisi caDitlg the gods' td witnefs the peffldioufhefs of
dielR'bttailS, 'atid their' vio&tmg the law of nations, im-
xhed?ate!y' broke up the flege' of Chrfiunti and marchedf
feiftirfciy. tb' RbWfe, having fcnt' a fieraW before hint td de-
i»atid^ thit' t*fofe' afribaffedOf s;- who tad fb ihahifettly vio..
Atctf tttfe law of natioh6, (hoirld be delivered into Itis hancfs*
Thfe Rdman fenate was' perj)l^«^d betwcdi theit regard
fcr tJrfe i^w^of nations, and tHeir aSedlion *for the Fabii.
The ufifeft of the fenate thought 'the demand cff the Gauls
juft arid reafortable ; however, as it concerned perfons of
^reat Cdnfeqtfence and credit, they referred the affair to
me people afletribled by curiatf. As the Fabian family was
Viery popular; the curias Weief fo far from condemning the
three brothers, that, at the next ele£kion of military tri^
bunes, th^^ were the firft chofen. Brennus, looking Brtmmt
upon the promotion of the Fabii as an affront on his na^ narchu i§
tion, haftened his march to Rome*. ^«w. .

His army being very numerous, the inhabitants of the
towrfS ariH villages, through which he paffed, left their
habitations 'at his approach; but he made no halt, de* *

daring that his defign was only to be revenged on the Ro»
inans- The fix military tribunes, Q^ Fabius, Caefo Fa*
blus, Oaius Fabius, Q^oulpitius, Q^Servilius, and Sextus
Cornelius, marched out of Rome ac the head of forty

• Jyif * Ub^ V. cap. 35* ' Idem ibid* cap^ i6t

N 4 . thoup

|84

matu.de'
fiaud by
the Gauls
on the
banks of
the Ailia.

Tie Roman Hiftary.

thoufand men, without cither facrificing to the gods, Of
confulting tlie aufpices ; effentis^l ceremonies among a peon .
pie that drew their courage and confidence from the pro^
pitious figns which the augurs explained. As moil of
the military tribui^es were young, and men of more va^
lour than e^^periencct they advanced boldly againft the
Gauls, wbofe army amounted to feventy thoufand e£Fec^
tiye men. The two armies met near the river Allia, about
Gxty furlongs from Rome. The Romans, that they might
not be furrounded by the en^my, extended their wings fo
far as to weaken their centre. Their bed troops, to the
number of twenty-four thoufand men, they pofted be-
tween tlie river and the adj6ining hills ; the reft they
placed on the hills. The Gauls nrft attacked the latter,
who being foon put into confufion, the forces in the plain
were ftruck with fuch terror, that they fled without draw-
ing their fwords. In this general difordej, moft of the
foldiers, inftead of returning to Rome, fled to Veii ; fomc
were drowned as they endeavoured to fwi^n crofs the Ti-
ber ; many fell in the purfuit by the fwords of the con*
querors, and fome reached Rome^t which they filled witti
terror and ^onflernation, by reporting that all the reil
were cut off. The day after the battle, Brennus marched ,
to the neighbourhood of Rome, and encamped oij the
banks of the Anio- Thither his fcouts brought him ad-«

Rome a-
bandoned
by itsjnha-
pitants*

vice, that the gates of the city lay open, and that not one
Roman was to J^ fcen on the ramparts. This intelligence
made him app^henfive of fome ambufcade, as he could
not fuppofe, that the Romans would abandon tbeir city
to be plundered and facked without making any refiftance,
On this cpnfideratioQ he advanced flowly, and his deli-
beration gave the Romans an opportunity to throw into
the Capitol all the njen who were fit to bear arms. They
carried into it all the provifions they could procure ; and,
that they might laft the longer, admitted none into the
place but fuch as were c:^pable of fervice.

As for the city, they had no^ fufficient forces to defend
it ; and therefore the old men, women, and children,
feeing themfelves abandoned, fled to the neigjjbouiing
towns. The Veftals, before they left Rpme, took care
to hide every thing appropriated to the gods, whix:h they
could not carry oflF. The two palladiums, and the facred
fire, they took with them. When they came to the Janicur
I^s, one Albinius, a plebeian, who was conveying his wife
and children in a carriage to a place of fafety, feeing the
facred virgins bencUng under their load, and' their feet

V0undf4

7he Roman Hifiory. j8 ^

wounded by the rough pavement, caufed his family to
alight, put the prieftefles and their gods into the carriage,
and conduced them to Csere, a city o£ Hetruria, where
they met with a favourable reception. The veftais re-
mained at Csere, and there continued tq perform the ufual
rites of religion j and hence thofe rites were called cere*
monies. While the reft of the citizens were providing
for their fafetv, fourfcore of the moil illuftrious men, ra-» Eighty nf9*
ther than fly rrom their native city, chofe to devote them- ^^^f^^
fclvcs to death by a vow, which Fabius, the high pontiff, XwaSo^/'
pronounced in their names. The Romans believed, that to'dlaX
by thefe voluntary devotements to the infernal gods, dif-
order and confufion were brought afnong the enemy. Of
thefe brave old men fome were pontifices, others had bee^,
confuls, and others generals of armie8,'who h«id been ho^
i^oured with triumphs. To complete their facrifice with
a folemnity and pomp becoming the magnanimity and,
conttancy of the Romans, theydreflcd th^mfelves in-their
pontifical, confular, and triumphal robesj and^ repairing ,

to the foxum, feared thenjfelyes there in their curwlc-
i^hairs, expcdUpg. the enemy and ^i^^th, vy^ith the gre,a(;eft. - ./.

conftancy^. .• •♦: ^^ • ^ ... . . ■ -^ -" ■'■

Brennus, having -fpq;it three d^ys injxfcle^^^ BrtMuu^

cjitered the city on tljg fourth day- after the ^>attle. He ^'*''' '
found the gates open, -the walls without defence, and the • *'**''
Houfes without ii^habitants. Rome appeared to him like
a mere ddert ;. and this folitude encreafcsji his fufpicion;
lie could not /Relieve, either that all the Romans were
lodged in the Capitpl, or that fp numerous a people ,
ihould abandon the place of their nativity. On the other,
hand, he could no where fee any armed men but on the
walls of the citadel. However, having fii ft fecured all
the avenues to the Capitol with ftrong. bodies of guards,
be gave the reft^f hisfoldiers leave \q difperfe themfelves "
all over the city, and plunder the hqufes. Brennus him-
felf advanced into the forum witb^ the troops under his
command, in good order) and there he was ftruck with
admiration at the unexpected fight of the venerable old
men, who had devoted themfelves to death. Their mag-
nificent habits, the majefty of . their countenances, the
(ilence they kept, their modefty and conftancy at the ap-
proach of his troops, infpired him with a belief that they
were fo many deities : for they continued as motionlefs
$1$ ftatues, and faw the enemy advance without betraying;

f Plut. \n CiiniiUoi Lir. lib. v> tap. 37— 40.

th«

.186

Yr. of Fl.

Ante Chr.

U. C. 365.

Howu burnt
kythtt .

Camittus
makes a
great
jtaughtir
efihe
Geuds.

7he Roman Hiftory.-

l!hc lead concern. The Gauls kept a great while at arf
aWiil diftance from t&rtj being afraid to aj>prdachv "At'
fength one foldierv boWer than the reft, having, ont of
cufiofity, touched the beard of M. Papiriily, fenicr, he,
liot being ufed to fiich familiarity, gave Kim a bld^ otr
the head with his' ironf ftafF. The Ibldier immediately
tilled him ; and the reft: of the Gau&, folfewing his et--
simple, flaughtcred all thofe vericfabfe"patrtot«r without?
mercy '. *

Aftcif this- ittaffaere, the enemy ki no bounds to thtSr
fliry. They plundered all places, dragging" thofe Romans*
who had^ fbut thenifelvfes up in tbeit* hotrfesi into* the'
ftreets^ and there^ ptrt them to thcf ftrordi withcrtit difEinc^'
tlon of age or fetr Brennus then itite(!fe* the €apito!;'
but being repulfed* witH gWat I06, iii ordfer' to be re-
venged o? the R0man8,for their refiftanee'^' hd r^tblvc^to'
lAy the city in alhfes. Accordingly;: by hii cooirftantt; the
(Mdterfrfet'fire to the houfes, dcmbiiffitd tft^'tertijtesi aWtf
jkiblic cdlficesi and razJed the wilfe'tb tte5*gfo«iA 'TOaS
was thfc fanfous city of Rome emSrely^ <!cftrcrpea\ iidM$n]^
was to be feen in' the i^acc wHcre if ftbod^* bSt-a^ fifw nttlf
hills covered with ruins, and a wafte, in which 'th)t 6Jti%
who ihvefted tl^c Gaiphtol, ^vt^rt- efitatepedi Brtfnrits,
^finding he fhoold never be* able tb t^kfe *a^Hfc^, vblijfdi' ria--
ttetfe h^d fo weH fortified, otherwiffr' Aari' by fiittinei
turned the flege into a blockade. BUt, iii^hfc'rt^ah "^tUt^
his army wami% provifionsi he fcnt btit parties to pil-
lage the fieldsi anid ratfe- contributions^n the neigbbour-
ing cities: One of thefe parties' aj^ptared fiWbrfe Ai-dea,
vj^here Caniilhis Had' now fpcnt tw^ yeart ifr privUcyand^
r^li^ement. N^twithfl&rfdihg the . affront h^ had received'
at Rome, the love be bore his cotmtry^was not in'thfc teatt'
dtmmiOied. * The fenate of Ardea be?ng met to deliB^ate'
on the meafures. to be taken with relation to the Gauls^
Camillus^ more affiftd* at the calamitites^of his country
than iit hisown bartiffimem:, defired tb be admitted intof*
the council, wberelie prevailed uponth^ Atdeates to arnir*
their youth in their- own defence, and refufe the GauU^
admittance into their city.

The Gauls had encamped befdre' thte' place; and, as^
they defpifed the Ardeates after 'they had made thfcm-*
feives matters of Rome, they preferved neither order nor
difcipline in the camp, but Ipfent whole days in drfnking*
Camilltts^ having eafilf permaded the youth of the city

^ Iiiv. lib. v» cap. ^i«

tt

The Rbman Hijoty. 1S3

Id follow hittif m»rcbed out of Arcka ia a dark tiigbt^
fiirprifed the enemy drowned in wine». and made a dr«Mt«
All ilaughter of them. Thofe,, who made their efi^pct
under the flielter of the night, feUinexfrda^ into the haod*
of the peafanta, by whom they were maffkcred. withoitft
aaercy. Thia defeat of the enemy revived the courage
of the Romana feajttered' about the. country » efpectally of
thofb who'had retired to Veii after the unfortunate battle
of^ Allia. There was not one of them who did not: con-
demn himfielf for the exile of Camtllus, aa if he had
been the author of it ; . and> looking upon that gresit maa
aa- thcsir laft refousce, relblved (» dM)Qfc him for tbein
leader. Accordingly, they fent witlMMi* delay meflenAr
gers to him, befeecning him to take into his proto£tieai
^K fugitive Romans, and the wrecks of the defeat- at
AUia* But CamiUtts would not accept of the comffland
of. thei troops, till the people, affemblcd by cmi^ had
l^iUy conferred it upon him. He thought the publio
authority was lodged -in the hands of. thofe who vrero
fluit up m the citadel; andttherefore would' underiaJce no^
thing at the head of the Roman tiDoc^,: ttU:a commHEanl
wassbrought him from* thenoe.

To procure tbi^ was very diffidulti ther plaoe beiiigtiii»*« ^

vdEbed on all fides, by .the enemy. Howevec, • one. Pondmi '
Gominius, a man of mean, birth, but bold^ and ambitious^
c^ glory, undertook tbe^fervice. H^puton a iight.babtt^.
furrounded with pieces ^f cork to kdep him a^at, andi
plunging into the Tibes above Rome in the beginning of
the ni^t, fufiered himtbif to > be careied down with thtti
ftream. Thus vrafted to the fool of die Captol, he land^<
^ at a fteep placej. where the Gaufa^ had not thought it
neceflafy to poft any centinels^ There he mounted, with,
gceat difficuky^ to 'the rampart of the .citadel, and having
nade himfelf known to. the guaxd, was admitted imo the.
place, and condufled Id the. magiftf ates. Theifenatebo*! Camillus
ing immediately aflembkd, Poatius^gairethentan account mmwatid
oi Camillns's vi£):ory, .and, in: the name.of ail the Hom<ans df&iUoT'i
at Veil, demanded thiat great capHaio. for their generaL
There was not much timefpent in debates : the curvae be*
lag coovenedy the z(k of condemnation, wliich bad been.
pafied on CamHlusy was ^ abrogated, and he was named:
diAator unanimoufi^^ Pontin wastj immediately dif«.
patched with the decree; and^theKame. good - f ovtune, .
which had. attended/' him. to. the*. Capitoly . aiocompanied;
him in his return. Thus was Camillus, from the (late of
t)ani(hment9 raifed^fott^ecv^be^fovefotgn magiftrate of

hia.

188

Hhe GttuU
mnmptu

furprtKi
iU Capitol.

*thty art
thfcovered
tytktcmek'
tmg offome
geefi i

and'repulf'^
€d hy tht
bravery of
M.Man^

The Roman Hiftoryl

bis country. He was indeed proclaimed diAator in Iiis
abfence, contrary to cuftom : but this was a imall defe£b
in point of forn)) "^hich the necefikies of the ftate made
neoeflary. His promotion to the command was no fooner
known» than foldiers flocked from all parts to his camp \
infomuch that he foon faw himfelf at the bead of above
forty thoufand men^ partly Romans, and partly allies, who
thought themfelves invincible under fo great a general K

While he was employed in taking proper meafures to
raife the blockade of the citadel, fome Gauls* rambling
round the place, perceived on the. fide of the hill, the
print of Pontius's hands and feet. . They obferved like-
wife, that the mofs on the rocks was in feveral places
torn up \ and conoluded, that fome perfon had lately af*
cended to the Capitol. The Gauls made their report to
Brennus of what they had obferved ; and that Experienced
commander laid a deiign of furprifing the place by the
fame way that the Roman had afcended^ With this view
he chofe fuch foldiers as had dwelt in mbuhtainous cotoa^
tries, and been accuftonied to climb precipices. Tbefe^
he ordered, after he had. well examined the nature of the
place, to afcend in the night the £ime way that was mark*
ed out for them, climbing two jv-breafty that one might
fapport the other in furmoanting^. the Aeeppdrts-of the
precipice. By thefe means they advanced with much dif**
ficulty, and more danger, from rock to rock, till they ar-
rived ^t the foot of the walU They proceeded with fuch
filence, that they were not difcoveced or heard, either by
the centinds who were upon guard iit the citadel* or even
by the dogs, that are ufualiy awaked and alarmed at the
leaft noife. But thoogh they eluded the fagacity of tha
dogs, they could not efcape the vigilance of the gcefe.
Some of thefe birds were kept in a court of the Capitol,
in honour of Juno. Notwithftandtng the want of provi-
iions in. the garrifon, they bad been ^red; and as thefe
creatures are naturally quick of hearing, they were alarmed
at the firft approach, of the Gauls ; fo that, running up
and down, cackling,and flapping their wings, they awaked
Manlius, a gallant foldier, who fome years before had
been conful. He forthwith founded an alarm* and was
the firft man who mounted the rampart^ where he found
two Gauls already upon the wall. One of thefe lifted up
his battle-ax to ftrike ; but Manlius cut off.his right*hand,
at one blow, and^ ftruck the other with his buckler fo

s Plut* in CanlUo. lar, lib« v* t^. 46.

violently.

. The Raman Hjfior^.

"tiolrtitlyythat he was precipitated from the top of the
rock to the ground^ and drew many after him in his fall ;
while the Romans crouding to the place^ overthrew them
as fail as they reached the fummit. As the nature of the
ground would not fufFer them to make a regular retreat,
or even to fly, moft of them, to avoid the iwords of the
enemy, threw themfelyes down the precipice; fo that
very few returned tq their camp **.

As it was the cuftom of the Romans at that time not to
fuflfer any commendable aflion to pafs unrewarded, the
tribune Sulpitius aiTembled his troops next morning, m
order to beftow the military rewards on thofe who had
diftinguifhed themfelves on the preceding night. Man-
lius was firft named, .and» in acknowlegement of the im-
portant fervice he had jufl: rendered the ftate, every {oU
dier gave him part of the corn which he received fparingly
from the public ftock, and a little meafure of wine out of
his fcahty allowance $ an inconfiderable prefent indeed
in itfelfy out very acceptable at that time to the perfon on
whom it was beftowed. The tribune's next care was to
punifli the negligent: accordingly, the captain of the
guard, who ought to have had an eye over the centinelsj
was condemned to die, and, purfuant to his fentence,
thrown down from the top of the Capitol. The Romans
extended their punifliments and rewards even to the ani-
mals* Geefe were ever after had in honour at Rome,
and a number of them always kept at the expence of the
public. A golden image ox a goofe was ere£led in me-
mory of this event, and a goofe every year carried in tri-
umph upon a foft litter finely adorned ; whilft dogs were
held in abhorrence by the Romans, who every year im-
paled one of them on a branch of elder K

The blockade of the Capitol had laded feven months ;
fo that the famine began to be very fenfibly felt both by
the befiegcd and befiegers. Camillus, fince his nomina-
tion to the didiatorfliip, being mafter of the country, had
pofted ftrong guards on all ttie roads ; fo that the Gauls
were in fear of being cut to pieces. Thus Brennus, who
befieged the Capitol, was himfelf befieged, and fuf&red
the fame inconveniencies- which he made the Romans un-
dergo. Befidesy a plague raged in bis camp, which was
placed in the midlt of the ruins of the demolifiied city,
his men lying confufedly among the dead carcafes of the
Romans, who had been flain, and lay unbuiied. So great

^ Liv. lib. v. cap. 47* Plut. in Camillo; & de Portuna Rom*
i Liv. lib. V. cap. 47, Plpn. 8c Plut, dc Fort una Rom.

' a ;ium-

1S9

wAo is rem'

warded by
the trthuni,
Salpiiiuu

Geefe had
in honour
at Rome.

Gauls and
Romans re»
dueed to
difire/s.

190

gd and be'
fitg*ri tn-
Ur upon a
treaty*

The Ro-
mans agree
to purchafe
a peace*

Camilhs
fitrprixes
BrennuSf
anddritves
the Gauls
Jrom Rome*

« number of them died in one quarter of tbe cltf, that ft
was afterwards called Bufta Gallica, or tbe place where
ibe dead bodies of the Gauls were burnt. But the Roc*.
snans in the Capitol were redOced to extremity, and ig-
norant of the lamentable condition to which the enemy's
army was brooght, and of the fteps Camillus was taking
for their relief. That great general only waited fof a fa-
vourable opportunity to fall upon the enemy; but, in the
mean time, fuffered them to pine away in their infeded
camp, not knowing the extreme ^rant the Romans endur^
ed in the Capitol, where they were ib deftitute of all fortt
of provifions, that they could no longer fub&ft. From
the mutual diftrefs on both fides, the centinels of the Ca*
pitol, and thofe of the enemy's army, began to talk to oae
another of an accommodation. Their difcourfes reached
the ears of their leaders, who were not averfe to the
defign.

The fenate, not knowing what was become of CamiU
lus, refolved to enter upon a negociation, and empowered
Sulpitius, one of the military tribunes^ to treat widi the
Gauls, who made no difficulty in coming to terms, diey.
being no lefs defirous than the Romans to end the war*
In a conference, therefore, between Brennus and Sulpi-
tius,' an agreement was made, and fwom to, importing
that the Romans ihould pay to the Gauls a thoufand
pounds weight of gold, that is, forty*five thoufand pounds
fterling; and the latter raife the fiege of the Capitol,
and quit all the Roman territories. On the day appointed,
Sulpitius brought the ftipulated fum» and Brennus pro-
duced the fcales and weights. We are told, that the
weights of the Gkwis were falfe, and their fcales untrue ;
which iniquity Sulpitius complaining of, Brennus, inftead
of redreffing the injuftice, threw his fword and belt into the
feale, exclaiming, ** V« vidis ! Woe to the conquered !**
Suipttius was to ftui»g with this infult, that be dedared
his opinion for carrying die gold back into the Capitol,
and fuftaintng the fiege to the hft extremity ; but others
tbd)figbt it advifeable to proceed, fince they had fubmitted
to a &r gi5eater difgrace, in agreeing to pay any thing.

During thefe difputes between the Roman deputies and
the Gauls, Camillus advanced with his army to the gates
of the city, where being informed of what was tranfad-
iog, he ofrmmanded the main body to follow him flowly,
and in good order, while he^ with a feled body, haftened
to the plaice where the parties were met. The Romans, .
overjoyed at his uncxpedled archraly madie room for him^

as

The Ropum ijifiary. ip^i

4is the fttpreme ^m^^iB^te of the cepahUc, gave him an
account of the treaty they had made with the Gauls, aii4
complained of l^e injuftice and rapacity of Brennu^.
They had fcar/ce dane 4>eaking, when Camillua cried put,
-** Cwiyback tbi^ g<Hdjirito the Capi^l^ ?md you^ GauU,
iretire wilth yoiw: fe^lesand weights* Jlppie muft not be ,

.fedeeined with gold* b«t with fteel.** Brennus replied,
that be contravened a treaty which was concluded and
confirmed with mutual oaths. " 1^ it fo, (anfwered Ca-
dnUltts); yet it is of no force, havi«g been made by an in-
ferior magiftn^, without the privity or confent of the
dilator. J, who gm invefted with the fupreme authority
over the iRoman«9 d^cWe the contra^ void/' At thefe
:word8 Breooufi itew i|i(o a rage, and, both fides drawing
tbexr fword^ a conf^fed fcuffle enfued among the ruins
of the houfes, and ip the narrow lanes. The Gauls, a£-
ter an inconfiderable lofs, thought fit to retire within their
icamp, wUch they sjptandoned in the nighty not caring to
fif^g^^ Caodillus's vrhole^my, and, having marched eight
loUef^ encamped oa the Gabinian Way* Camillus pur-
fued rthem as toon as it was day, and gave them a total
overthrow. The Gauls, according to Livy, made a fait^t
iceJiftance* It was not* fays that author^ fo much a battle
as a flaughter. Many were flain in the a£tion, more ia
th^ piirfuit ; but the greater number ^ere cut off, as they
wandered the fields, by the inhabitant^ of the neighbour-*
ing villages. In fhort, there was not a Gaul left to
carry to his countrymen the news of this fatal cataftrophe.
The camp of the Barbarians was plundered ; and Camri*
1b8, loaded with ifpoilsj returned in triumph to the city^
the f^diers, in .their foogs, ftyling him *^ Romulus, fa«
ther of bis country, and fecond founder of Rome ^.^

As the houfies of Rome were all demoliflied, and the The tri*
wa}l7 rafed, the tribunes of the people renewed, with buntsn*
more warmth than ever, the old prpjed, of a law for di- "^^ ^^.
vidieg the fenate and government between the cities of ^rmov^jf
Vcii and Rome< Moft of the tribunes were for entirely to Feiu
^iKuadoning their old minted city, and ^n^king Veii the fole
feat of the empire. The people were i^iclined to favour
this proje£t, Veii oSerio^ them a F^ace fortified by art
aad nature, good houfes ready built, a wholfome air, and
a fruitful territory ; but they had np n(iateriaIsfor rebui(id-
ing a city, were exhsuAed by i^isfortuaes, and their
^ogth was gros^y dimuuib^d* The^e confideratiion^

^ Plat, dc l^tona Eom. Liv. lib. v. cap. 49.

infpircd

t^l

The koman tiifiory.

CamiUms
eofttinued
diSator.

A dicrei
polled for
nbuilding
ihi city.

^ Fabtus
lays 'vie*
lint hands
0t himjtlf.

iftfpired them with a reluftancc to fo great an undertat'
ing, and emboldened the tribunes to utter feditious ha-
rangues againft Camlllus, as a man too ambitious of being
the reftorer of Rome. They even infinuated, that the
name of Romulus^ which had been given him, threatened
the republic with a new king. Bat the fenate fupported
CamilluS} anc^, being defirous to fee Rome rebmlt» con-
tinued him, contrary to cuftom, a full year in the officfc
of dictator ; during which time he made it his whole bu*
finefs to fupprefs the ftrong inclination of the people to
remove to Veii. Having aficmbled the curis, he expof-
tulated with them, and, by arguments drawn from pni-
dence, religion, and glory, prevailed upon them to lay
afide all thoughts of leaving Rome. As it was neceffary
to hare the refolution of the people confirmed by the fe-
nate, the diftator reported it to the fathers, leaving every
one at liberty to vote as he pleafed. While L. Lucretius,
who was to give his opinion, was beginning to fpeak, a
centurion, who, with his company, had been upon guard,
and was then marching by the fenate-houfe, cri^ oat
aloud, ** Plant your colours, enfign. This is the bcft
place to ftay in." Thefe words were conGdered as die*
tated by the gods, and Lucretius, taking occafion from
them to urge the neccffity of ftaying at Rome, ** An hap*
py omen ! (cried he), I adore the gods who gave it."
The whole fenate applauded his words, and a decree wa«
pafTed without oppofition for rebuilding the city ^.

Though the tribunes of the people were defeated by
Camillus in this point, they refolved to exercife their au-
thority againft another patrician, who had indeed de-
ferved puniihment. This was Q^Fabius, who had vio-
lated the law of nations, and>thereby provoked the Gaulss
and occaHoned the burning of Rome. His crime being
notorious, he was fummoned by C. Martius Rulitud be*
fore the affembly of the people, to anfwer for his condaA
in his embaify. The criminal had reafon to fear the fe-
vereft punifliment; but his relations affirmed, that he
died fuddenly; an accident which generally happened,
when the accufed perfon had courage enough to prevent
his condemnation, and the ihame of a public puniih"
ment". On the other hand, the republic gave a houfc
fituate on the Capitol K6 M. Manlius, a$ a monument of
his valour, and of the gratitude of his ' fellow-citizenB*
Camillus clofed this year by laying down his di&atoiihipj

1 Plut. in Camillo, Liv. lib. v. cap, 50, 55. n Ijv. lib. ?!•

cap. i.

whereupon

^e Roman Hiftoty. 193.

^^hcreupon an interregnum enfued, during which he go*
verned the ftate alternately with P. Cornelius Scipio ;
and he prefided at the eleftion of new magiftra^es, when
Li. Valerius Poplicola, L. Virginias Tricoftus, P. Corne-
lius CofTu^, A. Manlius Capitoiinus, L. j£milius MameN
cinuS) and L. Pofthumius Albinus, were chofen. The
firft care of thefe magiftrates was to colleft all the anci-
ent monuments of the religion and civil laws of Rome,
which could be found among the ruins of the demoliflied
city. The laws of the Twelve Tables, and fome of the-
laws of the kings, had been written on brafs, and fixed
up in the forum ; and the treaties made with feveral na-
tions had been engraved on pilhrs crefted in the tempos.
Fains were therefore taken to coUeft the ruins of thofe

J precious monuments ; and what could not be found was
upplied by memory. The po^tifices, on their part, took
care to re*e(labli{h the religious ceremonies, and made ^
alfo a lift of lucky and unlucky days". Among the
latter, the feventeenth day of Auguft was particularly
marked as execrable, on acc.ount of two unfortunate
events, namely, the deftrtiftion of the three hundred Fa-
bii near the Cremera, and the defeat of AUia by the
Gauls. On this day, no facrifice was offered, no juftice
adminiftered, and no expedition begun.

The governors of the republic applied themfelvcs wholly
to rebuild the city. Plutarch relates, that as the work-
men were digging among the ruins of the temple of Mars,
they found Romulus's augural ftafF untouched by the
flames ; and obferves, this was looked upon as a prodigy,
from whence the Romans inferred, that their city would
continue for ever. The expence of rebuilding private
houfes was partly defrayed out of the public treafure*
The aediles had the dire£lion of the works, but fo little
tafte for order or beauty, that the city, when rebuilt, was
even lefs regular than in the time of Romulus. Aq4
though, in Auguftus's time, the temples, palaces, aiijci
private houfes, were built in a more magnificent manny
than before, yet. even then thefe new decorations did/**^ * \ '
redify the faults of the plan upon which the city had;^^^**^ ^h ..
built after its firft demolition.

' "/
a Idem ibid, /^

VoL.X O CHAP.

J94 ^^ Roman Hifiofj^

CHAP. XXXIX.

From the Rebuilding of Rome, to the Firft
Punic or Carthaginian fFar.

'SECT. I.

From the Rebuilding />f the City^ to the Roman Arnvf
being forced by the Samnites to pafs under the Toke ;
and the Treaty with that People. ' .

Tr. of Fl. ij^ O M E was fcarcc rcftored, when her citizens Were
Ante Cbr. JtV alarmed by the news, that all her ncighbotfrs were
379. compirmg her deftruflion. The iSlqui, the Volfci, the
U. C. 369. Hetrurians, and even her old allies the Latins and th€l
■ Hernici, entered into an alliance, in hopes of crafliing

CamtUuia ^^^ before (he had recovered her ftrength. The repubHc,
named dk» ^nder this terror, nominated Camillus dictator a third
Mor. time. This great commander, having appointed C. Ser-

vilius to be general of horfe, fnmmoned the citizens to
lake arms, without excepting even the old men. He di-
vided the new levies into three "bodies. The firft, under
the command of A. Manlius, he ordered to encamp under
the walls of Rome ; the fecond he fent into the neighbour-
hood of Veii 5 and marched hirafelf, at the head of the
third, to relieve the tribunes, who were clofcly befieged
in their camp by the united forces of the Volfci jHld La-
tins. Finding the enemy encamped near Lanuvium, on
Ae declivity of the hill, he poftcd himfelf behind it,* and,
by lighting fires, gave the diftrefled Romans notice of his
arrival. The Volfci and Latins, when they underftood
that Camillus was at the head of an army newly arrived,
were fo terrified, that they ihut tbemfelves up in theit-
cirtfip, which they fortified with great trees cut down in
,^ Jfefte. The diftator, obfervmg that this barrier was of
^^ w4n wood, and that every morning there arofe a great

"^ T*^ which blew full upon the enemy's camp, formed

J T'figtt of reducing it by fire. With this view he or*
^^^^ ne.part of his army to gp by break of day with
*"'^'^P""j|.to kindle tht wood to windward of the camp,
Drfeau the ^^ g^ '^g^ to make a vigorous attack on the oppofite
Volfd and ^^"^' , .,^1 * contrivance the enemy was entirely dc-
Latins. ^^ j ^ fJl fl'Jicir camp taken. Camillus then com-,
mand.^cl^pe u^^^ to be extinguifhed^ in order to faveAc
" " . • •*• boi^ty,

booty, with which he. rewarded his array \ a bonnty the
more agreeable, becaufe unexpefted from the rigid di£la«
tor. He then left his fon in the camp, to guard the pri-
foners % and enterii^ the country of the IE<\\xu made hxv^
felf matter of their capital city Bola- From thence he
marched againft the Voifci, whom he. entirely reduced, .
after they had waged war with the Romana for a hundred
and feven years. Having fubdued this untra£table people,
he penetrated into Hetruria, in order to relieve Sutrium,
a town in alliance with Rome, at that time befieged by a
numerous' army of Hetrurians. But he did not reach the
]^]<ft;e before it had capitulated. 'Fhe Satrini, being
gready diftrefled for want of proviGons, and exhauiled
with labour, had furrendered to the Hetrurians, who
granted them nothing buc their lives. In this deflitute
condition they were going in fearch of new habitations^
wi)en they met Camillus leading an army to their relief.

The unfortunate multitude threw themfelves at the
dilator's feet, who, moved at this melancholy fight, dc-
fired them to refrefli themfelves, adding, that he would
foon transfer their forrows from them to their enemies.
He imagined^ that the Hetrurians |Would be employed in
plundering the city, without being on their guard, or
obferving any difcipline. And in this conjedure he was
not miftaken. The Hetrurians did not imagine, that the
dictator could come fo Speedily from fuch a diftance to
furprdfe them; and therefore the Roman army pafied
through the territory of Sutrium, without finding any ad-
vanced guards, and even entered the city before the ene*
my had any notice of their approach. In a word, he fur- Recovers
prifed the Hetrurians, who were employed in plundering Sutrium
the houfea, and carrying off the booty, or in feafting on fj^^ *^*
the provifions they had found. He put many of Aem to ^z^"*
the fword; made an inclredible number of prifoners, and
reftored the city to its ancient inhabitants, who had noj:
waited in vain for the performance of the diftator's pro-
xnife^ After thefe glorious elplof(i, the great Camillus
entered Rome in triumph a third time * (B).

Camiflui
• Plut. in Camifl.

(B) This honour was decreed the captives^, who graced hii
for having conquered the Vol- triumph, were fold, and mo-
fci, made himfelf matter of th6 ney raifedl to pay all the Ro^-
capital city of the iEqui, and man ladies for the jewels thejr
r^aken Sutrium from the He^ had fprm^fly contributed to
trurians. The greateil; part of . make a prefenti to ApoUo^

O z With

196

Cprtwfa

taken and
demotiflud.

AVw dip-
turbancii.

The Roman Hiftoty.

Camillus having rcfigned his diSatorfliip, the republic
chofe fix new military tribunes, Q^ Qtfindlius, q!^ Ser-
vius, L. Julius, L. Aquilius, L. Lucretius, and Ser. Sul-
pitius. During their adminiftration the country of the
^qui was laid wafte, in order to deprive them of the
power to revolt ; and the two cities of Cortuofa and Con-
tenebra, in the lucjtimony of the Tarquinienfes, were
taken from the Hetrurians, and entirely demolifhed. At
this time it was thought proper to repair the Capitol, and
add new works to that part of the hill where the Gauls
had endeavoured to fcale the citadel. 'Diefe works were
eftecmed beautiful, as Livy informs us, even in the time,
of Auguftus, after the city was adorned with a variety
of decorations P.

Rome being reinftated in her former flourifhing con-
dition, the tribunes of the people began to renew their fe-
ditious harangues, and revive the difpute about the divi-
fion of the conquered lands. The patricians had appro-
priated to thcmfelves the Pomptin territory lately taken
from the Volfci, and the tribunes embraced this opportunity
to raife new difturbances. But the citizens being fa
drained of their money, that they had not enough left to
cultivate new farms, and ftock them with cattle, the de-
clamations of the tribunes made no impreffion upon their
minds, fo that the projeft vaniflied. As for the miMcary
tribunes, they owned, that their eledion had been de-
feftive, and therefore, they voluntarily laid down then-
office. So that, after a Abort interregnum, during which
M. Manlius, Ser. Sulpitius, and L. Valerius Potitus, go-
verned the republic, fix new military tribunes, L. Papirius,
C. Sergius, L. -Smilius, L. Menenius, L. Valerius, and
C. Cornelius, were chofen for the enfuing year, which was
employed in works of peace. A temple, which had been
vowed to Mars during the war with the Gauls, was built,
and confecrated by T. Quin£tiuS) v^ho prefided over the

PLtv.lib.

With the remainder were
bought three vafes of gold,
which, with Camillus's name
infer ibed on them, were placed
at the feet of Juno in the tem-
ple of Jupiter. Thus did the
glory of Camillus eclipfe that

■' ( I ) PI ut. ibid, Li?, lib. vii cap. s. & 3. Macrob. part i. cap. »»
JEutrop. lib. ii.

affairs

vi. cap. 41

of all his rivals. Envious men
had hitherto afcribed the great-
eft part of his vidbries to
chance. But, after thefe three
laft expeditions againft three
different nations, envy itfelf
wasiilent ({)•

'The Roman Htftory. 197

^affiwrs of religion. As there had hitherto been but few
Homan tribes beyond the Tiberi which had a right of fuf-
.frage in the comitia, four new ones were added) under the
names of the Stellatinai Tramontina, Sabatina, and Ar-
nienfis ; fo that the whole number now amounted to
twenty-five.

The expectation of an approaching war induced the CamiUus
centuries to chufe Camillus one of the military tribunes ^^^f'^ *«f
for the next year. His colleagues were Sen Cornelius, J^ '^' ^^'
Q^Scrvilius, h. Quinftius,' h- Horatius, ajMlP. Valerius, ^ggl*'
As all thefe were men of moderation, they agreed to inveft
Camillus with the fole management of military affairs,
and accordingly, in*full fenate, transferred all their power
into his hands ; fo that he beciime in tSeSt di£):ator. It
had been already determined to turn the arms of the re-
public againft the Hetrurians ; but upon advice that the
Antiates had entered the Pomptin territory, and obliged
the Romans, who had taken poiTeflion of it, to retire, it
was thought necefTary to humble them before the republic
engaged in any other enterprize. Camillus allotted to
each of the five military tribunes an employment fuitable
Xo his rank. He joined P. Valerius with himfelf in the
command of the array which he was to lead againft the
Antiates ; Q^Servilius was placed at the head of a bo.dy
. of troops, which was to continue in Rome, and be in rea-
dinefs to mar<ch againft the Hetrurians or Latins and Her^
nici, in cafe they took the field ; the third army confined
of old men, and fuch citizens as were excufed, on ac*
count of their infirnaities, from taking the field. The.
command of thefe was given to L. Quin£tius, Who was
appointed to guard the walb of the city. L. Horatius's ^

province was, to fuppiy the troops with arms, ammuni*
tion, and provifions. Laftly, .the fuperintendency of civil
aflpairs, .the comitia, the l^ws and religion, were com-
mitted to the care of Ser. Cornelius. So that none of the
military tribunes was left without employment: they all
readily accepted the provinces which Camillus afligned^
them: Valerius only refufed to be equal with Camillus;
*< You fliall be my di£i:ator, (faid he), and I will fcr*re
under you as general of the norfe.'*

The Antiates had joined the Latins and Hernici near ^-^ ^ .
Satricum, fo that the Romans, alarmed at their prodigi- ta, Latins
ous number, feemed backward to -engage. Camillus per- and Her'-
reiving their reluflance, inftantly mounted his horfe, and "ich de-
riding through the ranks of the army, " Fellow foldiers, -^^''^^
;(cried he), why do not i fee that joy and defire of fighting ^' *''

O 3 in

left

ChmiUus
rifieves
Shttrimp

.fhe RamoH Htfiory.

in your loolts which yott ufed to have? Hare y<m fergot
who 1 am, who you, and who your etieimes are ? Hav«
not the Volfci and Latins beeA d^ occaGon of yoar gain-
ing immortal fame ? Have you not conquered Veil, dc*
(eated the Gauls, and delivered Rome, under liiy cobk
mand ? Am I not CamiUus» becaufe I have not tfie title
of diftaior ? Do you but attack the eil^my^ and wc &all
fuccecd as ufual. You will conquer, and they Wffl-fly."
Having uttered thefe words, he difmounted* %odt tbe neit
ftaiidard-bearer by the hand, led him towards the efiejnr,
and cried out, ** Soldiers, adTance," The foWiery were
afliamcd not to follow a general who expofed himfelf to
the Arft attack ; and therefore having raifed a g#eat fliout,
^cy fell upon the enemy with incredible fciry. OuiniMos,
in order to increafe tfccir eager^nefs, comfifianAcd a ftan*'
dard to be thrown into the middle of the e«m/s batta-
lions ; a circumftancc which made the foldicrs, who wwe
fighting in the fiiA ranks, exert ^11 their refolution to re-
cover it. The Anttates, not being able any longer to
withftand the Romans^ gaife way, and were entirely de-<
feated. The Latins and Hemic! feparated from the Vol-
Cci, and returned home. The Volfci, thus abandoned
'by their allies, took refuge in the ncighbouri(ig city <rf
$atricum, which Camillus immediately invefted, and took
by aflault. The Volfci threw down ttieir arms and fori
-rendered at difcretion. He then left his army under the
command of Valerius, and returned to Rome, to folicit
the confent of the fenate, and to make the necefTary pre^
f arationsfbr undertaking tfa6 liege of Antium %

But, while he was propofing this affair to the fenate,
deputies arrived from Nepetc and Sutrium, two cities in
alliance with Rome in the neighbourhood of Hetruria,
demanding foccours againft the Hetrurians, who threats
^ned to befiege them. As thefe were the keys of Hetruria,
the expedition againft Antium was laid afide, and Ca-
millus commanded to haftcn to the relief of the allied
cities with the troops which Servilius had kept in readincfe
at Rome, in cafe of an emergency. CamiHus immediately
l>egan his march ; and, upon his arrival before Sutrium,
found that important place not only bcficged, but almoffi
taken, the Hetrurians having made thcmfelves matters of
fome of the gates, and gained poffeffion of all the avenues
leading to the citv. However, the inh Aitants no fooncfr
heard that Camillus was. come to their relief, than they

9^iv. lib^vi. cap. 7, 8,

rccovere4

^e Roman Hiftorf.

recovered their courage^ and, by raifing tarrJcadocs it^
the ftreets, prevented me enemy from making tbemfelves
matters of the whole city. XIamillus, having divided his
army into t^ivo bodies, ordered Valerius to march round
the waHs, as if he defigned to fcale them, while he, with
the ptber^ undertook to pharge the Hetrurians in th^
rear, force hi$ way ii?to the city, and Chut Up the enemy
between the befieg^d and his troops.. The Romans no
fooner appeared, than the Hetrurians fled through a gate
which was not invefted. Camillus's troops made a dread-
ful flaughter of them within the city, while Valerius put
great aumbers to the fword without the walls. . From re-
conquering Sutrium, Camillus battened to the r^elief x)f
Nepete. But that city being better afFeifted tp the He-
trurians th^n to the Romans, had voluntarily f^bmitt^ to
the former. 'Wherefore Camillus, having invefted it with
his whole army, took it by affault, put fOl the Jietr^ria^
foMiers, without diftinfiion, to the fword, aad cond^put-
ed the authors of .the revolt to die by the axes of thjC liftor^.
Thus glided Ca^illus^s military tnbunelhip, in which he
glo;*io4lly m^int^edthe great reputation hefaa^ formerly
acquired'. ,

Neverthelefs he did not enjoy it without a^ri^al. -M(.
^aniii^s, who had faved the Capitol, could Qot hear to fee
his glpfy eclipfed by that of CamlHus. He w^s, inde^c^
one of the braveft foldiers Rome had ever produced ; but
Jiis ambition and vanity were yet greater than bis valour.
However, he did not ^tempt any thing till Camillus's
fourth milijtary tribunefliip was expired. But no foone?:
was Uie government put into the hands of fix new military
tribunes, A. Manliusi, P. Cornelius, T. Quinftius, I*.
<^in£lius, L. Papirius, and C. Sergius, than he epdea-
voured to darken the glory of a man whom he looked
upon as his rival. ** After all, Camillus's chief glory
(laid he)j is his having recovered Rome out of the hand^
of the Gauls, wpich he could never have done had I not
firft faved the Capitol ; fo that his glory is founded upon
mine. Nor did he conquer the Gauls till they had been
tired with a long fiege ; but I repulfed them from tl\e
Capitol, when they were flulbed with fuccefs. A whole
army fliared Camillus's glory, but Manlius had no cona-
panion in his." By the^> and other fuch infinuations, he
gave vent to his envy i but finding himlelf unable^ hj

^P

' Liv. lib* vj. c^p. 9^ lo. Plat«iA Camilla

04

fufpeaedef'
afpiring a
thefitprmi

noble

ZQO The Roman Hiflory.

poble afliohs to outfhine Camillus in reputation^ in order
to gratify his ambition, he began to court the multitude,
and even entered into the fa£lion of the tribunes of the
people. Though a patrician by birth, he inveighed
againft the nobility, and efpoufed the caufe of the people
in the affair of the di^ribution of lands. He even oppofed
the righ whenever they feized their debtors, and let at
liberty thofe who were already in chains : fo that he was
always attended by a kind oi guard made up of thofc
whom be had thus aiTifted. The fenatCi alarmed at his
proceedings, thought it neceflary to create a diftator, to
prevent the evil confequences of his too great popularity,
and to crufli the rifing fa£Uon. The army, which the
Volfci had juft then railed, furniflied them with a fpecious
pretence for taking fuch meafures.
Yr. of FI. '^'^ dift^torfbip was given to A. Cornelius CoiTus, who
ijjj, * named T- C^inclius CapitoHnus to be general of the
Ante Chr. horfe. The aift^tor came to an engagement with 4:hc
JT5- Volfci in tbc Pomptin territory, and entirely defeated
' ' ^^^' .them, though mucn mpre numerous than the Romans.
Ctrnelius .Among the prifoners were found many Latins and Hcr-
C«/«^f <^- nici of diftihflion, who confeffed that they had adied by
#?''• authority.. ^ Hereupon • th^ diftator kept his army in the

j^eld, not dpijbting but he (hould be foon employed againfl:
thofe faithlefs allies. But the difturbances raifed by the
faAious Manlius called him back to the city. It was
necelTary to examine into the defigns of that ambitious
pan, whofe popularity was become dangerous, and
■gave umbrage in a republican ftate, where the magif-
trates were always upon their guard' againft any thing
that tended to monarchy. H15 bounties made fo ftrong
an impreffion on the multitude, that they feemed ready
;to fupport him in any enterprize he (hould under-
, . take. He reported, that the nobility, not content to rob
the people of their right to afhare in the conquered lands,
had concealed, with an intent to appropriate it to their
^ own ufe, the gold which was to have been given to the
' Guuls, and had been raifed by the voluntary contributions
of all the citii^ens, who were then in the Capitol : a trea-
fure which alone would be Sufficient to difcharge all the
debts of the poor plebeians. He even promifed to fhew
"them, in due time, the place where this treafure was con-
pealed ; fo that the whole care of the populace was tp
^fftw thofe riches out of the hands^ of the patricians *•

* ^ut. ^bid. Liv. lib. vi. cap. 11,

The Roman Hiftory.

201

ManUMf
€Uedto ap»

'Such was the pofture of afFairs at Rome, when the dic-
tator Coflus returned thither. He pofiponed hl$ triumph
till he had re-eftablifiied the public tranquility. He af-
fembled the fenate ; and, finding the fathers inclined to
fupprefs Manlius's infolence, he ordered hi^ tribunal to be
placed in that part of the forum where the comitia were
held, &nd fent a lidlor to cite Manliu$ to appear before
him. Manllus obeyed the fummons, but attended with
his ufual guards. The aflcmbly looked like two armies ^^mq^^
drawn up in battalia againft each other. Silence being |^.
proclaimed, the di£tator challenged Manlius to declare, as
he had promifed^ the perfons who had concealed the pre-
tended treafuresy and the place where they were hid %
otherwife he threatened to fend him to prifon as an in-
cendiary and ilanderer. Manlius, inftead of anfwering
dire£Uy, extolled his own merit, and reproached the pa-
tricians with avarice and cruelty. He concluded his fpeech
with faying, that, as to the fecreted treafure, the fenators,
who had concealed it, wer& better qualified than he to difr
cover the place. This being no more than aq evafion, the
di&ator defired him either to perform his promife to the
people, or to confefs that he had calumniated the fenate.
Manlius replied, that his being prefTed to declare the
place where the gold was hoarded, was a proof that, the
fenate had removed it beyond the reach of the moft cu-
rious enquiry. But this anfwer was fo unfatisfadory,
that the dilator immediately ordered him to prifon. We
have, 'on this occafion, a furprifing inflance of the fub-
miffion of the Romans to the command of a lawful ma-
giftrate. The people, however feditioufly devoted to
manlius, took no ftep to hinder the execution of the fen-
tence. There was not an angry expfeffion heard, or a
threatening look feen, in the whole affembly. Manlius
only, when the liftors feized him, cried out, addrefTing ,
his complaints to the gods, ** O Jupiter/beft and greatefl,
O Juna, queen of heaven, Minerva, and all who refide
in the Capitol, will you fufFer your champion and de-
fender to be thus treated by his enemies ? Shall this right
hand, with which I drove the Gauls from your fanfluaries,
be locked in chains ?" Thefe exclamations raifed no
difturbance among the mu?<titude. His moft zealous ad-
herents exprefled their concern only by putting on habits
of mourning, negleAing to cut their hair and beards,
crowding about the doors of the prifon, and there lament-
ing his n^isfprtune.

In

nutted f
prifam.

ftoi Vhe Roman Uifiory%

In this time of affli£lion the di£lator Cofliis received the
honours of a triumph. But the multitude exprefied %
deep concern. Some were heard to fay, that CoSiis did
not fo much triumph over the VoMci, as over an opprefied
citizen. Nothings (aid they, remains to complete tke
general^s triumph, hut to have the unfortunate Mafaliog
nefmrnu fc^ before his chariot in chains. In order to appeafe th6
^•"^*J^ people, the fenate thought it neceflary to (hew diem forae
V^l^ fyt indulgence. They afiembled, and, of their own fBOtioa,
Mm aiH^ ordered a colony o4 Roman citizens to be'fent toSKitriuni^
ittrf^ where they allotted to every man two acres and an half of

arable land. This unexpeAed boutity ^^xb$ fo far from fa-
tisfying the malcontents, that it encreafed their rage and
jealoufy ; for they looked upon this !ibera4ky of the fenate
fts an artifice to induce the citizens to abandon Mantiut:
fo that the fedition gained ground, «id the f^jry of tbe
populace increafed ftill more, as feon as Coffus's didalor*
fiiip was expired. The multitude, being now free from
the dread of an mtcontrolable magiftrate, no longer ftept
within bounds. The people, furroundin^ the pmbft da^
and night, thrpatened to break it open. The fe«M>
fearing left the incenfed populace mould execute what
ibey threatened ; and that Manlius, being fet at liberty by
fucn violent means,' fliould carry his rrfentment to fem^t
violent extreme, thought fit to put an end to the diftufb*
SHicc, by^releafing him of thefr own accord. But this
weat meafure ferved only to provide the populace with a
dangerous leader, provoked by the fhame of his imprifon-
inent> and incapable of following fober ceunfels * (D).

WLca

* Xiv. Kb. vi. cap. 17.

(D) During tbcfe feditioDfi, were upon the foot of colo-

ambafladors arrived from the nie*, but the Latins and Hcrni*

Latins, the Hernici, and the ci only in alliance withRomci

cities of Circaei and Velitrac, the latter, enjpyed tfieir own

demanding that the prifoners laws; the former were fub»

taken b^ the dictator in the je6t to the laws of Rome. The

iate a6bon with the Votlci, ambaffadors, therefore, of the

•night be delivered op to them. Latins and Hemid, were rc-

The different reception they ^eiived, though their denuumi

fnet with ftews the difiin£kiQii was reyei9»d ; nor did the Ikc^

wiuch the Romans alway9 mans difpute their r^bt of

made between nations in aU fending anesobafl^. ftutthe

liance with them and Roman deputies of Circan and Velif

f:©lonics. Circaei and Vclitra: tr«.were ordered iraraediately

t»

^he Roman Hifhry^ 20J

When new magiftratcs were clcftcd for the next year,
Camillus waB chofen military tribune a fifth time, the re-
public wanting a governor of his reputation to ftcm the
tide of the prefent troubles. With him were joined Sef.
Cornelius, P. Valerius, Ser. Sulpicius, C. Papirius, and
T. Quinftius. The confidence of Manlius, and the
Arength of his faSion, were now much encrcafcd by thfe
timorous conduft of the fenate. The mutineers met at H0 nne^vi
Manlius's houfe. There he fpoke his mind without re- hisfa3wu$
fcrvc> exhorting the multitude to ftake off the yoke they ^'^rtgua.
groatie^ under, to abolifh didatorlhips and confulates, to
eftab!i(h an exa£t equality among all the members of one
and the fame republic, and to choofe themfelves a bead,
who would govern and keep in awe the patricians, as well
ts people. " If you judge me worthy of that honour,'*
"laid he, ** the more power you give me, the fooner you
wfll be in poffcffion ot what you bave fo long wiflied for.
1 dcfirc authority with no otner view, than to make you
all happy.** It is faid, that a plot was formed to feize the
citadel, and declare him king ; but it is not certain, that
be embarked in fo difficult an undertaking, or how far
he carried his ambitious views. The fenate, alarmed ^t
the danger which threatened the' republic, affembled fre-
quently to deliberate on the bed method to avert the blow.
A decree was made, enjoining the military tribunes, to
be watchful that the republic received no damage ; a form
^f words never ufed but in great dangers, and which in- .
irefted thofe magiftrates with an authority almoft equal ta
jtbat of a dictator. Different means were propofed for de-
feating the defigns of ManKus. All, except the tribunes
of the people, were for affaffinating the author of the fe-
dition. But as fuch an attempt would have occafioned
much bloodfhed, two of thofe tribunes, M. Maenius, and
Q^ Publilius, thought it more advifeable to punifli him by
tbe ufual forms of law. They offered to profecute him
before the comitia, not doubting that the people, when
they faw their tribunes become his accufers, would imme-
diately defcrt his caufe.

This advice was approved, and Manlius fummaned to Impea<hid
liis trial before the comitia by centuries. The crime laid ^ tf^oof
to his charge was aiming at the fovcreign ppwer 5 and, ^^^j'^y
9S this was capital^ the accufed appeared before his judges treajon*

to depart, and not to appear bad no right to fend ambaffa-
^fare the people, fince they dors (i).

(1) Ifiv« !ib. vif cap. i/^

in

jo4 ^'^^ Roman Hifiory.

in deep mourning. But neither his own brother?^ nor
« any of his relations*, changed their drefsy nor foiicited tbe
judges in his behalf, as was ufually done by the friends
of a perfon accufed $ fo much did the love of liberty pre-
vail in the hearts of the Romans over all the ties of blood
and kindred. Livy obferves, that he could not find in
any author what direA proofs the tribunes brought of
Manlius's afpiring to the regal power. However^ he fup»
pofes that- they had fufficient proofs, fince nothing but the
circumllance of the place where he was tried, prevented
his immediate condemnation. They could fee tbe Capt*
tol, which Manlius had preferved, from the Campus
Martiusj where his fentence was to be pronounced $ and
this fight alone abated the refentment of the centuries
againft the criminal ; fo that the people, who could nei-
ther refolve to condemn nor acquit him, delayed pro-
nouncing fentence more than once, and every time poft-
poned this affair for three market-days. In the mean
time, Manlius omitted nothing that could move his judges
to compaflion. He produced above four hundred ple-
beians, whofe debts he had paid, and whpm he. had de-
livered out of the hands of theit creditors. He fiiewed
the people thirty fuits of armour, the fpoils of thirty ene-
mies, whom he had ilain in fingle combat. He was the
firft Roman who had dcferved a mural crown by fighting
on horfeback. He had been honoured with eight civic
crowns, for having faved in battle the lives of fo many
citizens; and had been thirty-feven times rewarded by
his generals for extraordinary valour. He had faved in
battle the life of C. Servilius, when general of the horfe,
and had received two wounds on that occaGon. But his
greateft glory was his having defended the Capitol againft
the attack of the Gauls. This important fervice fup-
ported the criminal, notwithftanding the evident proofs
of his crime. Looking often at the Capitol, he called
upon Jupiter and the other gods for fuccour, corijuring
the people to turn their faces to that fanfluary, and think
of the gods, who refided there, when they were going to
pronounce judgement. The people, having ' before their
eyes the place where, by fighting fo valiantly againft the
Gauls, he had faved Rome, could not refolve to find him
guilty. The tribunes, perceiving their difpofition, de-
ferred the decifion of the affair to another day, and ap-
pointed the place of the affembly to be in the Petdine
wood, without the gate Flumcntana, whence the Capitol
could not be feen. Then the objeft, which had laved

Mainliusi

The Roman Hifioiy. 205

Manlius, no longer dazzling the eyes of his judges, they
forgot his glory,^ and remembered only his crime. The
public welfare gained the afcendant over their gratitude,
and Manlius was condemned to be thrown headlong from Cmdmnid
the Capitol he had prefcrvcd. The fentence was no andext-
fooner pronounced than put in execution: the houfe, ^*'^^^«
where he had held his private cabals, was razed to the
ground^ and it was decreed, that no patrician fhould
thenceforth dwell in the Capitol, left the advantageous fi«
tuation of a fortrefs that commanded the whole city
ihould fuggeil and facilitate the defign of en^aving it. ^

The Manlian family alio came to a refolution among them-
felves, that no member of it fhould ever bear the .prae-
nomen of Marcus. But how inconftant is the multitude !
Manlius was fcarce dead, when his lofs was generally la-
mented, and a plague, which foon followed, afcribed to
the anger of Jupiter againft the authors of his death ".

The punifliment of the fcditious Manlius neither Yr. of Fl.
brought any difcredit upon his relations, nor Icflened their ^^^/^.V
intereft. On the contrary, his brother A. Manlius was^ "^^^^ ^*
chofen one of the military tribunes at the very next elec- U. C. 375,
tion. His colleagues were, L. Valerius, Ser. Sulpicius, -

L. Lucretius, L. iEmilius, and M. Trcbonius. During f^^swiik
their adminiftration, the Volfci threatened the republic 1^,^;"^^
with a new war ; the cities of Circaei and Vclitrae conti- fr^^l^
nued in their revolt ; Lanuvium itfelf, which had been
hitherto ever faithful to Rome, declared againft her, and
all the cities of Latium feemed ready to rife in their
turns : and, to add to the misfortunes of the republic, the
plague ft ill raged in the city. However, the fenate judged
it neceffaty to engage the people to confent to a war.
With this view, they promifed to divide the Pomptin ter-
ritory among them ; and nominated five commiffioners to
regulate the diftribution of the lands, and three others to
lead a colony to Nepete : but this deign was not put in
execution till nine years after. However, the comitia by
tribes being afTembled, it was decreed, that a war (hould
be declared with the feveral enemies of Rome, nbtwith-
(landing the oppofition of the tribunes of the people.
Accordingly, an army was raifed ; but the plague conri-
nuing to rage, the military tribunes could not lead their
troops into the field. In the mean time, the inhabitants
of Praenefte, following the example of the other colonies,
revolted, and committed great devaftations in the territo^

■ Plttt* Ibid. Liv. lib. vi. cap. io.

rics

2^6 ^ RamM Hijiofy*

ries of the Galnfii, Tiiicukmiy and Labioani, wlio cmttt*
xHied fteady in their alliance with Rome. Though diefii
faithful allies- brought complaints to the fenate, of die
hoftiritie$ committed in their diftri^lS) yet the fathers pre-
tended not to believe them, cboofiiig rather lo daflba^fef
than to take up arms in their prefent unhappy fituatioa*
But the Romans, who fcarce erer fufiered any attempt
againft their republic to efcape onpunifhed, only fitif'
pended their, refentment ; for in the military tribunefliip
of Sp. Papiritts» L. Papirius, Ser. Cornelius, Q^ Servi«
lius, Ser. Sulpicius, and L. iEmiiius, the two Papirfi
being fent againft the Velitemi, defeated them, though
joined by great numbers from Frscnefte, and obliged them
to take (belter within the walls of their city. However,
the generals did not think it advifeable either to attempt
. a doubtful (lege, or to carry hoftiiities fo far as to ex^r-
' minace a Roman colony. The fenate alfo judged it more,
neceflary to purfue the war with vigour againft the Ff^e-
neftiniy who bad farther provoked the Romans, by affift-^
ijig their irr econcikable enemies the VoUci ^. '
CamUlus The importance of thefe expeditions induced the A

ihofsm m* fembled centuries to raife Camtlhia a fixth time to tbe
bt^rytff* military tribunefliip. He was indeed very unwilling to*
embark again in public a&irs, being now veiy infirm,
and apprehenfive of the vicifiltudes of fortune, rie ther&«
fore enideavoured to decline the honour which the people
had conferred upon him, pleading his age and infirmi-
ties. But the people would not hearken to his reprefeii'
tations. ** We do not expeA (faid they) that €amillii9
fliould perfonally engage either on foot or on horfeback;
or that he (hould join tbe bravery of tbe private ibldier to
the wifdom of the general. All we now defire of him iS}
to affift oar armies with his counfel, and command them;
this is enough to make them invincible.'' Camitlus could
not avoid complying with their requeft : he Accepted the
military tribunefliip, in which he had for his coUes^erSy
A. Poilhumius, L. Pofthumius, L. Furius, L. Locredus,
and M. Fabius Ambuftus. The command of the armyi
to be employed againft the Volfci, was decreed to (^
millus by the fenate ; but it fell by lot to L. Fork» to be
joined with him in the command '• The two ^nerak
commanded an army of four legiond, confifting of foot
^ jthottfand men each, which marched to SutriJom, where
tbe Volfci and Praeneftini had formed a camp, and wailed

V Idem ibid. cs^. at, %%t a Uyl ibid. cap. 2s.

without

The Roman H0ofy. aojr

^liout fear iot the Komans, depending on their great
fi^riority in' number, and flufiied with their late fuccefs
againft Satricuni, which they bad taken. Camillus, whe*
tker be waited to recover his health (for he was gre^atly
iadifpofed), or to receive a reinforcement of troops, was
not in hafte to riik a battle. But, in the mean time, the
Volfci appearing drawn up in battalia, and provoking the
Romans, the latter could hardly be reftrained from fally-
ang out of their camp, and falling upon the enemy.
Their ardour for fighting was increafed by the Vaih diC-
cottrfes of young Furius, who imputed the prudent delays
of his colleague to old age, which, he faid, had chilled
his blood. At length the Volfci advanced into the open
fields, and carried op^ their lines almoft to the Roman
camp. This was fuch an infult, as neither Furius nor
his kgions could jb^ar. The young general, therefore, Thikw^
addreffing himfelf to C^imlUus, obferved, diat he was the matutm'
only perfon in the army for delaying the engagement 5 S^S^*^"
and urged him to comply with the defircs of the foldiers. ^^j/^
Camillas anfwered, with an air of fupericrrity, but with CmhJUiu*
great temper, that hitherto Rome had not been dilTatisfied
cither with his conduiEi or fuqcefs ; but, neverthelefs, .if
the impetuofity, which hurried the foldiers on to an 6n«
gagement, could not be reftrained, he wiflied them fuc-
cefs ; but dcfired to be exctifed, on account of his age, -^^
from eng^ing in the foremoft ranks*

Furius drew up his troops in order of battle ; but Ca«
millus made it his bufinefs to prepare a corps de referve to
affift his colleague in cafe of diftrefs : this laft charged
with great vigoUr, atid the Volfci, feigning to give way,
drew the Roman legions half-way up the hill, on which ^^^ P^ ^
their camp was fituated; then {allying put with frefli-^^*-^,
troops, by 'the advantage of the ground, they obliged the ^'^**
Romans to retire in great diforder. The Volfci purfued
them clofe to the very gates of their camp, which thofe
brave legions, a little before fo defirous of fighting, ftrove
by a (hamefttl flight to regain. Camillus, though greatly
indifpdfed, no fooner heard, that the Romans were de«
feated, than he quitted his tent ; and haftening to the gat^
of the camp with his body gf referve, cried out to the
flying legions^ ^^ Is this then, Romans, the vi^ory you
were fo Aire of ? What god or man can you blame but
yourfelves? You are come to feek for ftielter in that
camp,- which you were fo defirous to abandon ; but you
(hall not enter it till you have repulfed the enemy.**
Having uttered thef& words, he put himfelf at the head

... oi

lo8

diftatid im
mftcBftd
gigagimittt
ty Camil-

CamiUus
charged to
funtjb the
di£e£iton of
tie Tufcu-
ions.

J remarh

Me proof
9j modera-
tion tn Ca'
mdius*

The Roman Hijlory.

of the troops, which he had kept with him in the camp i
and, encouraging the legions that had fled, to return with
him to the engagement, he obliged, the enemy to retire.

Next day he drew up his troops in the plain, and chal-
lenged the enemy to a fecond engagement. Furius, whom
Camillas had placed at the head of the cavalry, behaved
in the battle, which enfued, with uncommon valour : for
the infantry being hard prefled, he prevailed upon his .
cavalry to difmount, and came fo opportunely to the re-
lief of the foot, that the numerous army of the Volfci
was entirely roujted, their camp taken, and their chief
commanders were either flain, or made prifoners^
Among the captives were found fomc Tufculans, who, as
their city was in alliance with Rome, were feparated from
the reft, and brought before the generals. Upon exami-
nation, they declared, that they had taken arms with the
confent, and by the order, of their magiftrates. This de-
claration alarmed Camillus, who thought it neceflary to
go in perfon to Rome with the prifoners, and lay the mat-
ter before the fenate* During his abfence, he left the
army under the command of Furius, who was now grown
prudent by the ill fuccefs of his late attempt. However,
it was generally believed, both in the camp and in the
city, that the general's chief bufinefs at Rome was to ac-
cuife his colleague, whofe rafli cpndu^ had like to have
deftroyed the army. The fenate therefore was furprifed
to hear him fpeak of nothing^^but the revolt of the Tufcu-
lans. He was charged to punifli their defe£tion in an ex-
emplary manner, and allovred to choofe any one of his
five colleagues, to command with him in this new expe-
dition. They all made intereft to attend him, in order to
learn the art of war under (o great a general. But the
generous Camillus, to the great furprize both of the fe-
nate and army, preferred Furius to all the reft, being
more defirous to conceal the fhame of one, who had per'
fonally affronted him, than to purfue the di£lates of re-
venge \ an inftance of moderation, which gained him no
lefs efteem and veneration than all his vifbories ! The
two generals began their march ; and either the artifice
of thofe faithlefs allies, or their true repentance, gave the
wife Camillus a frelh opportunity of fignalizing his mo-
deration : for, when he entered their territories, he faw
the hufbandmen at work in the fields, as in times of the
profoundeft peace ; the magiftrates of the city fent him

y Liv.ibid. cap. 23, a4«

provifion5|

The Roman H0ofy*^

I^OTiIiops^ and came out to meet bim. When ti^ enters
ed the city, he found the citizens, with their wives and
children, .walking about the ftreets, without betraying th^
kaft fear or furprize. The fchools and (hops were open^
the markets full, and not the leaft fign of war could be
diftinguiflied. The general, pleafed to find the Tufculans
returned to their duty> affembled the chief men of thcif
republic ; and, having told them, that they had found
out the true fecret of difarming the refentment of the Ro*
manst advifed to fend a deputation to Rome, and apply
to the fenate, who were the proper judges, whether their
prefent conda£l: was a fufficient atonement for their pail
defection. •Deputies were accordingly difpatched ; who^
being habited in mourning, with the difbator at their
head, addrefTed the confcript fathers in a fuppliant man*
ner. The fenate readily forgave them, and foon after
even granted them the privileges of Roman citissens (£)«
Thus jended the Gxtb n^ilitary tribuneihip of the incom-*
parable Camillus *•

The military tribunes chofen to fucceed him and hii
colleagues were L. Valerius, P. Valerius^ L. Menenius,
C Se^gius, Sp. Papirius, and Ser. Cornelius, whofe ad*
minillration was diilurbed by domeftic feditions, and a
foreign war. Sp. Pofthumius, one of the cenforsi dyings
the other laid down his office, as the law dii^e&ed, and the
Bomans proceeded to a new eledion. But, ad the patrici-*
ans were afraid of a cenfus, which muft of couife have dif«

< Plut. in Camilk). Liv, lib. vi. cap. 15, i(U

6Q9

(E) The municipal towns,
ftod Roman colonies, enjoyed
the right of citizcnfliip, which
bad fometimet more, fomc-
tiraca fewer privileges anne3i-
cd to it. * The municipal cities
enjoyed this privilege by a par*
ticular grant from the fenate
and people, without being
obJiged to change their own
form of government. But
there was this difference be-
tween them, that fome of them
could, others could not, either
give their votes, or ftand can-
didates for offices. This ac-
count of the municipia, and
the diiFerence between them,
Vot. X,

thfefidti
forgi<ues
the Tu/cH'i
lam,

Tiomeflic
dtflurb-

ancesy ani
a foreign

is agreeable to L'lvy, who telli
us, that the inhabitants of Cai*
re were made munici pes with
the right of fuffrage ; and
elfewhcre fpeaking of Fundi -
and FormisB, fays, that thef^
two cities did not obtain tha
right of fufFrage without much
application,^ though they bad
already the rightof citizenfhip.
As for the Kotnan coloniesi
they enjoyed more or fewer
privileges and exemptions pe-
culiar to Rortan citizens, irf
proportion to their fidelity, and
the fervices they rendered thi
republic.

P covered

aid The Roman Htftory. '

covered their riches, and exceflive ufury, they pretenrferf^
that there was fome defeft in the elcdion ; and thenccf
took occafion to declare, that it was againft the will of tht
gods that Rome fliould have any ccnfors that year. On
the other hand, the tribunes of the people ufed theii' ut-
moft endeavours to bring on a new eleftion of cenfors as
foon as poffible. This ftruggle occafioned great difturb-
ances ; during which the Praeneftines entered the Roman
territory, arid advanced to the very gates of the city.
However, the tribunes would fuffcr no levies to be made,
till the fenate had recourfc to the ufual expedient, in great
Yr. of Fl. extremities. Titus Quinftius was in all hafte nominated
1978. diftator ; and he appointed A. Sempronius to be his ge-
Ante Chr. neral of horfe. The Praeneftines no (boner underftood,
U C.^ s *^^^ Rome had created a diflator, than they removed far-
:' ^^ * ther ofiy and troops were raifed in the city without oppo-
Titus fition. Thfe efnemy, hoping that the banks of the Allia

^ittSiius would" always prove unlucky to the Romans, encamped
didator. on the fpot w;here they had been defeated by the Gauls.
Fr^niy^ But there >»opes proved vain 5 for the diftator purfued
fines, oftJ them, and gave them a total overthrow. They fled td
takes Pra- Praenefte ; but the diftator coming up with them before
ti^Jie. they reached that place, defeated them in a fecond en-

gagement, took all their ftrong places in a few days, and
then appeared before Praenefte itfelf, which capitulated.
Quindlius, having thus reduced the enemy, returned to
Rome, and brought with him from Prcenefte the ftatue
of Jupiter Imperator ; which, as an eternal monument
of his glory, was placed in the Capitol between Jupiter
Gapitolinus and Minerva. The dictator entered Rome in
triumph, and then laid down his ofEce, which had laOed
but twenty-five days *.

The complaints of the infolvent dehtors, which ftilf
» c?ontinued, occafioned this year an alteration in the go-
vernment. Whether the aflembled centuries divided the
military tribunefhip between the patricians and plebeians
of their own accord, or by conftraint, is uncertain ; but
we are told by all the ancients, that three military tri-
bunes were chofen out of the nobility, and three out of
^hreemili- the people The patricians were, P. Manlius, C. Man-
tary tri- jiyg^ ^.wd L. Julius ; the plebeians, C. Sextilius, M. Al-
an^outof *^*^^"s» ^^^ ^' Antiftius. The two Manlii, without
thepeofle. drawing lots, were appointed to command the army
againft the Votfci \ but Rome had foon occafion to repent

« Liv. lib. vi. cap. aS, »9*

of

TBe Roman t^iftoryl tii^

ti tiife ttokc (he had made; for having divided their
army, and encamped near each other, 'they fent out their
Cavatry to forage, without being well acquainted with the
Country. The enemy did not think proper to intercept
the foragers ; but found means, by a ftratagem, to draw
the whole Roman army into an ambufcade. They fent ,
to the Roman camps a Latin foldier, ^ifguifed like a Ro-*
man, to acquaint the generals, that their foragers were
furrounded by the enemy, and muft be inevitably cut off,
if not relieved without delay. This was a general alarm i
the two commanders, without fo much as thinking of de-
taining the meflenger ^ho brought thisfalfe intelligence,
marched out of their camps with precipitation, and in dif-
crde6 hurrying their troops .into narrow paffes, where
the V&lfci lay in wait for them. The Romans, though
in diforder, fought with incredible braVery, and were,
by their dcfperate courage alone, preferved from total de-
ftru&ion. But while they were wholly intent on defend- The Reman
ing themfelves againft one body of the enem/s forces, ^«»/^ ^«-
the other took and plundered the two Roman camps with- *f" ^"^ .
out refiftance. The ill conduft of the Manlii made the ify'lh/l^oi"
fcnatc deliberate, whether a dictator fliould be nominat- fd.
ed ; but the enemy attempting nothing farther, it was re-
folved to recall the army, and its commanders. During
thefe misfortunes abroad, a profound peace reigned at
home, which, no doubt, was owing to the fhare the ple-
beians had in the government ^.

For the enfuing year the centuries chofe only patricians i
viz. Sp. Furius, Q^Servilius, C. Licinius, P. Claelius,
M. Horatius, and L. Geganius. The people, therefore,
renewed their ancient complaints ; and, in order to free
themfelves from the oppreffions of the rich, got, at length,
two cenfors chofen, Servilius Prifcus andClxlius Siculus, <fwo (in-
who took an exa£t account ,of the people and their effefts j fors chofen^
and concluded the cenfus with a luftrum, which the Faf-
ti CapitoHni call the nineteenth from its inftitution.
Nothing now remained for the cenfors to do, but to
put an end to the difputes between the patricians and
plebeians, by relieving the poor debtors, who were op*
prefled by the excefEve ufury of their avaricious creditors.
In the mean, time, news being brought that the Volfci
bad entered the Roman territory, and were committing
ravages there, the cenfors fufpended this work, under
pretence, that it was of more confequence to the ftate to

^ Liv. ibid. cap. 30.

P % guarA

£iX the Roman Hijlofy*

fuard againfl: boftiIitie$ abroad than diflenCoos at hMtU
\\it the tribunes of the people purfued their pointy ^ik^
playing their ufual game, oppolied the levies ; fo i\%aX tb^
fenate were obliged to iflue a decree, that noperfoaihoi^^
be difturbed for debt, or even the pajment of the ufual
taxes, during the campaign. The levies were then made
' without oppofition, and two armies raiied,^ which nvircli*
tonhl *"S ^y different ways into the country of the Volfci, laid
foUci laid ^^ wafte> and returned to Rome with an ifprumsnfe booty,
w^t. the enemy not daring to appear in the fielc^ The patri-
cians no (boner found themfelves free from. tJ»c dangef
of a foreign war, than they cited their deb^kr& tx> appeaii
before the judges as ufual } the tribunes of the po)|de ae|
being able to lend them any aiEftance fo long as peace
continued abroad ^

In the courfe of the following year the centuriea ^fe
fix patrician military tribunes, namely, L« i^^iliiu^ &
Sulpicius, P. Valerius, L. Quin&ius Ciocinnaitus^ ;C.
Veturius, and C« Quin<^ius. During their adminifiati^f
the Latins and VoQci, engaging in a new conlederaQjp
againft the republic, took the field, and encamped n«MC
Satricum. The patricians had, in all likelihood, at thb
time, the afcendant over the f^ebeians, for three armitt
were raifed without the leaft oppofition ; one to guard the
walls, another ready to march on the firft notice, and the
third, which was the moft numerous, to attack the enemy
in the neighbourhood of Satricum, under the command
of P. Valerius and L. ^milius. Thefe two .generals
found the Latins and Volfci advantageoufly pofted ; but
neverthelefs gave them battle \. and the adipn lafted till it
was interrupted by fo violent a rain that neither party
could keep the field. It was renewed next day, and, at
firft, with pretty equal fuccefs on both Gdes : the Latins,
who had been long in alliance with the Romans, having
The Latins learnt of them the art of war. At length the Latin bat*
^f^^jf* talions were broken, and put into difor&r, by the Roman
/eaiea. cavalry, anjd a general rout of the confederate army en-
fued. The fugitives retired in great ditorder firft to Sa-
tricum, about two miles from the field of battle, and from
thence to Antium, with a defign to fecure themfelvesia
that city. But the Antiates, not thinking 'their city in a
condition to hold out a long fiege, were for fun^enderiog
to the Romans upon honourable terms.

«LiVtibidrCapty»

The

7%e Roman Hfflafy:

TTlic reft of tlie Volfci, being alfo weary of the war, cx-
{)refled an indication to peace. But the Latins, obfti-
natdy bent upon pnrfuing the war, feparated from them
ih a great rage, which they rented upon Satricum, though
belonging to the Voifci, and the very place, which had
fcrvcd them for a retreat after their overthrow. They
redticed the town to afhes, fparing only a temple of the
goddefs Matuta, whom the Greeks, as Plutarch informs
Bs, worlhipped under the name of Leucothea, or Ino, the
daughter of Cadmus. From Satricum they marched into
the country of the Tufculans, furprifed their .city, and

Sut all the inhabitants they met with to the fword, for
aving renounced the Latin confederacy, and accepted
the privileges of Roman citizens. Great numbers of thfe
Tufculans retired, with their wives and children, into the
citadel, and from thence fent meffengers to acquaint the
Romans with their misfortune. An army, which had
been kept ready againft any unforefeen accident, was'im-
roediatefy fent to their relief, under the command of L.
Quinftius and Ser. Sulpicius, two of the military tribunes,
who took the place by affault, and put all the Latins
within the walls of Tufculum to the fword. The tribunes,
having thu« recovered the city, led back their army to
Rome*.

The peace concluded with the Antlates, and the defeat
of the Latins, gave the republic an interval of reft from
foreign wars. Sut at home the .avarice of the patricians
hicreafed the mifery of the poorer fort of people. As all
the debtors were preffed to pay their debts at the fame
€ime, one friend could not afSft the other; fo that
fnoft of them becoming infolvent, were delivered up
to thbiir creditors, and reduced to flavefy; which me-
lancholy fcene fo deprefled the fpirits, not only of the
meaner plebeians, but even of the moft confiderable of
that order, that, far from ftanding in competition with
the nobles for the military tribunelhip, they even neg-
jefted to fue for the plebeian magiftracies ; infomuch that
the patricians feemed to have engrofled for ever the whole
adminifti'ation of public affairs. But at this very crifis a
trifling accident afforded the plebeians an opportunity of
fliakirig bff the yoke they groaned under, and carrying
their pretenfions higher than ever. Fabius Ambuftus,
an illuftrious patrician, but very popular, had two daugh-
ters \ of ^hom the elder was married to Ser. Sulpicius, %

»Ij|

Sairiemm

by tkt Im*
tinsi

prife luf^

which is
Ticwitid
hthe '
Romams*

Thg htunr
fortrfpn*

ed iy th
ritk,

ii Liv. \\\y* vi. cap. ^t, 33*
P3

patnciaO)

914

The Roman H^ory.

9fa wo-
manjets
thrte pa*
triciams at

nnfork to
raife the
fortune of
thepUbd'

patrician, and at this time military tribune ; the younges
vas^ matched to Licinius Stolo, a rich plebeian. It hap^
nevanitj pened, that while the younger (ifter was paying a vifit tq
the ^Ider, Sulpicius came home from the forum, where
he had been difcharging the duties of his office, attended
by a croud of clients and by the liiEtors ; who, thundering
at the door with the ftafF of the fafces, gave notice that
the magiflrate was coming. This noife, to which the
wife of Licjnius was not accuftomed, put her into a fright,
^hich her fifter taking notice of, ^ould not forbear laugh-
ing at hef, feeming much ^o wonder at her ignorance.
This laughter, how innocent foeyer, was conftrucd, by
the younger iiiter, into an infult upon her, on account of
the ignoble family into which (he was married. This
imaginary affront greatly provoked her ^ and her uneafi-
iiefs was increafed by the croud of people that came to
pay their qourt to her fifter, and receive her commands.
Hei father, perceiving by her countenance that fomething
troubled her, kindly afked, what it. was, and whether all
was well at home. At firft he could get no fatisfa£iory
anfwer ; but at length prevailed upon her, with foft words,
to difclofe the fecret: ** You have married me (faid flie)
^nto a family which is excluded from enjoying the chief
honours of the republic. What a vaft difference is there
between my (ifter's condition and mine ?" Her father,
who was very fond of her, did all that lay in his powei;
to comfort her : ** Do not be^uneafy, (faid he), you (hall
foon fee as much ftate at your owi| houfe, as you were
furprifed to find at your fifter's."

From this time he entered into an aflbciation with Li-i
^dSextius cinius, his fon-in-law, and L, Sextius, a young plebeian
^vn^epa^ of extraordinary parts, who wanted nothing but a noble
irieiansand birth to qualify him for the higheft offices of the rcpub-
fhbeians lie. Their defign was to abolifli the military tribunefliip,
re (lore the confuJffiip, procure for the plebeians a ihare
in that fqprcme dignity, and, in fhort, to put the patri-
cians and plebeians upon an equal footing. To compafs
this defign, jt was thought expedient, that Licinius and
Sextius fhovild begin, by obtaining the plebeian tribune-
fhip for the pe:^t year, which would enable them to pave
themfelves a way tp the higheft dignities. The two can-
didates were accordingly admitted ; and. having carried
that firft point, they bent al^ their thoughts and power tp
deftroy the grandeur of the patricians, and promote the
■Jntereft of the people. The firft ftep they took was to
pfopofe a law for fuppreffing the n^litary tribunefliip,

reftorinif

ti cinius

upon an

equality.

^e Roman Hiftorym Zi$

a^ftoring the confulate, and requiring that of the tTi'o c^n^
fills to be annually chofen^ one ihould always be a pkr*
l^eian. In order to engage the people to pafs this law,
they added two others to it, relating to the debts, and the
conquered lands. The firft imported, that the intereft
already paid fliould be rccl^oned as a difcharge of fo much
of the principal 5 and the remainder of it be paid at dif-
ferent equal payments. The fecond reftrained any Ro-
man citizen from poffeiEng more than five hundred acres
of land : whatever lands any one held beyond that re-
ft ri£tion, were to be taken from him, and divided among
the poorer citizens.

The patricians, alarmed and terrified at tbefe projefts,
ffequently met, in order to deliberate on the moft proper
means yy ayer^ the impending evil j but could fix upon no
other, except that of dividing the tribunes of the people,
and engaging one part of the college to oppofe. the at-
tempts of the other. Acco^dingjy, they gained over the They are
other eight : Licinius aAd Sextius aflerrjblcd the tribes fe- eppofed ly
veral times, in order to get their Jaw paffed, but were '^f *'^^
always oppofed by theif colleagues ; who, as foon as the ^^^^^^"*
ia^v began to be read, never failed to cry out, ** Wc pro-
Jeft againft it." Thefe protells of one part of the tribunes
againft the others, were often repeated at different comi-
tia ; infomuch that the two popular tribunes could not
even bring their laws to the hearing of the people. Being
therefore at length tired with fuch freqtient difturbances
and interruptions, they refolved to proteft. in their turns,
** Very well (faid Sextius to his colleagues), fince you are
fo delighted with hearing the word Veto, / forbldy or prth-
feft^ we fliall foon find occaGon to repeat it too, and to
the advantage of the people." Accordingly, when thci
centuries aflembled to ele£l military tribunes for the nexjt
year, Sextius and Licinius cried out in their turns, ** We
proteft agairift it j" an interpofition which put a ftop to all
proceedings. As thefe two were continued in the ple-
beian tribunefliip, they renewed the fame oppofition for
five years fucceffivf ly ; fq that the republic fell into a kind ^he repub*
of anarchy, none but plebeian oflicers being ejefted, that {'^ /*"'''
}s, tribunes and aediles. Thus the patrigians were entirely ^gf ^anarch.
(excluded from the goverpment ; and this intermiflion of
fuperior magiftrates plaped Licinius and Sextius, who
were the popular tribune?, in fome degree at the head of
the republic. So that Fabius's promife to his daughter
)|>ay be faid to have been performed from this time **.
f Li?, lib.vi. cap. 3^, 35,

V 4 Liclniua,

ii6 The Rman ISft&ryl

LIcInSus and Sextius were juft eltfkcd tribunes of tbe
people a fixth time, when the inhabitants of Vclitnc de-
clared war againft Rome, over-ran the lands of the re-
public, and even laid fiege to the city of Tufculum. As
the Tufculans had long been allies, and lately admitted
citizens of Rome, Sextius and Licinius, aibamed to refufe
them afliftance, waved their oppofition, and fufffercd an
aflcmbly to be held by an interrcx for clefting military
tribunes. Six patricians were chofen ; L. Furiu$, P. Va^
lerius. A, Manlius, Ser. Sulpitius, C. Valerius, and Ser.
Cornelius. Thefe, having made the neceffary levies,
neVeJi' marched againft the enemy> defeated them, raife'd the
^leaud fiege of Tufculum, and invefted Velitrae. But as the ge»
' nerals, who began the fiege, could not make tbcmfclves
mafters of the place before the year expired, fix new mi*
litary tribunes were created, without the leaft oppofition,
to purfu^ the war with the Veliterni, till their city was
reduced. It happened'verv unfortunately for the patri**
cianSy that Fabius Ambuftus, the father-in-law of Lici-
nius Stolo, was chofen military tribune. His five coU
leagues were, Q^ Servilius, M. Cornelius, C. Veturius,
Q^Quinftius, and A. Cornelius. The promotion of Fa-
bius encouraged the tribunes to purfue their point with
^ore vigour than ever. They found means to gain over
three of their colleagues \ fo that of the ten tribunes five
" were now for the publication of the laws, and five agaii^f^

}fezo dtf' Licinius and Sextius were now the eighth year in oflSce.
iurbances^ Being by long habit thoroughly pra£iifed in the art of
managing the people, they held frequent aflemblies, and,
in the prefence of the multitude, alked the patricians the
^mJed^'b fo^^^wi"g queftions; Whether they did not think it un^
Mr/w- "^ reafonable, that they fliould poflefs each above five hun-
^unei^ dred acres pf land, whilft a great number of the plebeians
had fcarce ground enough whereon to build themfelves a
fmall habitation to live in, or a fepulchre for their family.
** How can you, patricians, faid they, even in point ofia-
tereft, account for your making your miferable debtors
languifh in chains, and abfolutely putting it out of their
power to pay you, by keeping them in prifon ? And jet
what is more common than to fee thefe wretched citi-
zens delivered up into the hands of their creditors by your
courts of juftice ? Are not the houfes of the patricians
become fo many prifons ?" When they perceived, that thefe
enquiries made a great impreffion on the minds of the
people, they irnmediatelyadd^d, *^ And what remedy can

b<5

\)t provided againft thefe misfortunes ? Since our tribunes
aire not able to prote£^ us, we mud introduce fome of the
plebeians into the higbeft offices. Nor will it be fufficientg
that plebeians are qualified by law to be confuls. Was
not the number of military tribunes encrcafed on purpofe
that the plebeians might have a (hare in that magiftracy ?
and yet how few have been raifcd to it : and how much
caficr will it be for the patricians, when there are but two
places to b€ filled, to fecure tbcmfclves.? It is therefore
ncceflary, that a law be pafled, laying Rome under a ne-
ceffity of choofing one of her fupreme governors out of
the people. From that very day, and not till then, may
the Roman people be deemed to have banifhcd kings from
Rome, and eftablifhed liberty on a lafting bafis.** When
the tribunes found, that the people liftened to thefe dif-
courfes with great plcafurc, they added a fourth law to
the three already mentioned, importing, that decemviri
fliould be elefted inftead of duumviri, to prefcrvc and in-
terpret the Sibylline book's, and that five of them (ho.uld
be always plebeians. However, all proceedings on this, as
well as on the other regulations, were fufpended till the
ledadion of Velitrae, that the foldiers employed in that
ficge, "vyl^o made fo great a part of the people, might not
be excluded from giving their votes, whcnfuch important
innovations were on the carpet ^

The year expiring before the return of the army, the
republic chofe fix new military tribunes ; L. Quindius,
Sp. Servilius, Serv. Cornelius, L. Papirius, , Serv. Sulpi-
tius, and L« Veturius. Licinius and Sextius were ftill
continued in their employment, the people being eager to
have thefe two oppofers of the patrician party carry on
and complete their defigns. The Roman army wasf no
fooncr returned from the fiege of Velitrae, than Li<!inius
and Sextius fummoned the people once more, declaringy
that they would proceed to the publication of the law,
without any regard to the oppofition of their colleagues.
The patricians, feeing thpir cafe defperate, had recourfc Vr. of FU
to the laft refuge, which was, to nominate a diftator. '99o.
The man who feemed moft proper to fit at the helm of Ante Chr.
afiairs in fo tcmpcftuous a feafon, was Camillus; and, u. C. 390.
accordingly, the fathers with unanimous confent raifed ^

him to that dignity the fourth time. Camillus was not Camillus
'^ery forward to accept the charge, being unwilling to ^i^ator.
V5^rrcl with thofc very men whofe valour he had fo often

employed

$l8 The Roman Htftofy.

employed in war. As affairs were then fitu^ted^ he could
expefl: nothing, but either to difoblige the commons, if
he fucceeded ; or to contribute to the ruin of his party,
if he did not. However, that zealous patriot did not
refufe to afiift his country, when it fo much wanted his
authority. From the day he was nominated di&ator, the

flower of the tribunes of the people ought to have been
ufpended. But Licinius and Sextius, without paying
any regard to the didlator, continued ftill to afiemble the
people, who being rnet in the foruto on the day appoint-
Hepre* ^^> ^^^ four laws were recited. The tribes had already
n/tnts thi begun to give their fu^rages in order, and the firft had
faffimg of aftually voted in favour of the laws, when the di£lator,
the ^^J full of indignation, and attended by a great body of pa-
Khttri^ tricians, repaired to the affembly, and there feated him-
buntu i<^l^ i^ ^is tribunal. As the tribunes were divided among
themfolves, fome declaring for the laws, and others pro-
tefting againfl; them, the dictator, riling up, declared,
that he was come to fupport the privileges of the people \
and^ that be would never fuffer one part of the tribunes
to deprive the other of their right of oppofitipji. The
two heads of the tribunes laughed at this artful fpeech \
and, purfuing their meafures with great fteadinefs, con-
tinued to take the fufFrages of the people. Camillus was
fo provoked by their prefumptioni that he ordered hi^
liAors to drive away the tribes from their refpe£live places,
threatening, at the fame time, that if they did not dif*
perfe immediately, he would afTemble them in the Camr
pus Martins, enrol them for fervice, and order them to
march into the field without delay. On the other hand,
the tribunes, to encourage the people^ had the boldnefs
to threaten the dictator, that, as foon as his di£batorihip
was expired, they would g^t him condemned in a fine o£
fifty thoufand dracb^l^e, if he prevented the people from
giving their fufFrages. However, the tribes, terrified at
the menaces of a magiftrate who had the power of life
and death, retired, and the comitia were poftponed to
another day. But Camillus, feeing the people too much
Lav davm ^^^^g^^ ^^ be brought to any terms, either by authority
his office. or perfuafion, withdrew to his own houfe, a^d foon after

laid down his office 8.
P. Mmilius The fenate, after a fliort interregnum, named P. Maiv
diSlator, lius to fucceed Camillus. Manlius foon appeared to be a
great favourer of the people 5 for the firft fl;cp he took w«^

% Uv. lib. VI. cap. 3S1

i to

^he Roman Hlftory. 219

]to aame a plebeian C. Liciniu9, not Licinius the fon-[nT Names m
law of Fabius, for his general of the horfe. Sextius and pUbiUn
Xiicinius no longer doubted but they ihould be able to ^^ ^^^S'
bring their dcfigns to a happy conclufion under the admi- JJJ!a
jiiftration of la diftator who favoured them, and the pro-
tection of his general of horfe, provided they could find
ineatis to bp continued in the tribunefliip. For this pur-»
^pofe they pretended, that they would no longer ferve, re-
prefenting to the people, that they were grown old in the
tribuneihip to no purpofe \ and that, after ftruggling nine
years with the fenate for the good of the people, the oaly
ir^compence they had met with was negleft and ingra-
titude. " Shall our laws, faid they, wholly tend to your
benefit, and we receive no manner of advantage from
them ourfelves ? Is it confiftent with modefty for you to
aik great advantages by our means, while you refolve to
leave us without honour, or even the hopes of honour i
To be plain then, the laws we have propofed are infe-
parafele* If you are refolved to pafs them conjointly, then
continue us in the tribuneihip. We (hall in that cafe
make ufe of the authority you fliall inveft us with, to.
finifh the work we have begun. But if you are deter-
mined to pa& tb^fe laws which coticern ufury, and the
conquered lanes* 'without any regard to our intcreft, we
-vrill accept of the tribuneihip no longer ; and be aiTured,
that you (hall not obtain your defires." The people were
ycry earneft to. pafs the laws concerning the debts and
;$onquered lands ; but as to the other two laws, relating Tj^^ feafU
to the re-eftablilhment of the confulate, on condition that grann cold
9ne pf the confuls iHould always be a plebeian, and the """^^ ^^-
changing of the duumviri into decemviri, the people ^*^ "^'^'r .*
flot give tbemfelves much concern about them, being well t^spro*
^pprifed, that the endeavours of the tribunes, to open a pofed by the
way for the plebeians to arrive at the confulate, were tribuneu
chiefly intended for their own private intereft. The tri-
bunes therefore would not by any means fuffer the laws
to be propofed feparately. Appius Claudius, grandfon to
the famous decemvir, made a long fpeech, full of invec-
tives, againft the two tribunes, expatiating on their info-
jence in declaring that the people Ihould not be allowed
to pafs fuch laws as they approved,, unlefs they would at
the fame time pafs others which they did not approve.
]|^ut, notwithftanding his harangue, the two tribunes were
chofen for the tenth time, the multitude beiag afraid of
loafing fuch able and s^^alous defcn4crs«

Not

120

tain thi
fafimg of

Yr. of PI.

ftOOl*

AnterCbrJ

347-
U. C. 40t.

Camillus
iiiBator
for thi fifth
timiM

The Roman Hi/lory.

Not long after their re-eledion, they obtained the paff>
ing of that law which related to the care of the Sibylline
books. This advantage contented the people for the pre*
fent ; and fix military tribunes, all patritians, were created
for the next year without the leaft difturbance ; namely^
A. Cornelius, L. Veturius, M.,Comeliu8| P. Valerius, M.
Geganius, and P. Manltus ^. In the beginning of their
adminiftration, the tribunes ufed their utmoft efforts to
get the other laws pafied, and the debates were carried to^
fuch a height on both fides, that the citizens were upon
the point 'of taking up arms againft each other, when
news were brought to Rome, that a numerous army of
Gauls was in full march from the coafts of the Adriatic,
with a*defign to revenge the defeat of cheir countrymen*
The approach of fo dreadful an enemy fufpended the divi«*
Cons of the commonwealth. The common danger unit^
both patricians and plebeians, and prompted them to
name a didator. The great CamiUus was raifed to this,
dignity the fifth time. He was indeed turned of fourfiooit^,
and had very lately laid down the di£btOrfl|]p befete the
ufual time: neverthelefs, his zeal for the welfarbof his
country induced him to facrifice the remaining part of his
life to the public good. He did not now plead infirmity
to decline the charge, but readily undertook it ; and hav-
ing made the neccfiary, levies, marched out of Rome with
all the vivacity of a young man, aftef he had named T.
Quin£kius to be his general of the horfe. . As foon as he
approached the camp of the Gauls, which was on die
banks of the Anio, he pofted the fmalleft part of his army
upon a hill of eafy afcent, and concealed the reft in the
valleys behind rocks.

The poor appearance of the Roman troops nuide die
Gauls fo confident, that they pillaged the country qiute
up to his very trenches* Camillus, in order to increafe
their confidence, fufiered them to proceed in the fame
infults for feveral days together, keeping himfelf quicC
within bis camp, which was well fortified on all fides.
At length, perceiving that a great part of the enemy were
icattered in the country to pnlage, and being informed,*
that thofe who remained in the camp did nothing night and
day but drink and revel, he ordered his light-armed men to
advance by night into the plain, and to prevent the €n€w
my from drawing up in order of battle when they Ihould

^ IX^k lib. vi* cap. 39i 40*

firft

i'h Roman Biftaryl

ficft filUy out of their camp. Early in the morning he
marched down the hiil with his xoaia body, and drew
them up in battalia* The Gauls haftened out of their
trencher ; but the llght->armed RomanSi falling upon then>
before they cottki range tbemfelves m their ufual order^
ohibged them to^. hegio the fi^ht in coafufion. In the
inean time CamiEus charged them with his heavy-armed
legions^ ajid made fuich a fiaughtec in. the fbremoft ranks^
that the reft fled, and di{perfed over the champain coun*»
ti<y, the Romans being pofieffed of the hilia^ Thofe wh<»
€f<;aped the puxfuit of the conquerors fled into Apuliai
Same writers ace of opinion^ that from this time the
Gauls began to fpread themfelves into lUycicum, Panno«
9ia> Thrace^ Greece^ and Afia Minor. After thisa&ioni
. the dilator led his vi^iorious army againfl: Velitras, the
Hf^ of which city hadbe^n interru{Nbed. But the Veliterni
fobwittocl to him without making the leafl: refifliance : he
teti»tfned therefore to Rome^ where the honours of a tri«
lunph were decreed him bot^ by the fenate and people '.

6u^ Ae republic was in too gieat a fervent for the fe«
ilate to Gonfent to his abdicating* the didatorfhip. The
patricians thaugbt^ that, under the iheker of his greaK
^ai&e^ and abfc^ta authority, they fhould be better able
%9 contend with their adverfaries : for the people, proud of
their late vi£lory^ were nH>re obilinately bent than ever
oa pafling the laws fo long difputed« Sextius and Lici«
BiUs^ feeing themfelves backed and fupported by the mul-
titttdey grew more audacious than ever, and took a more
extraordinary ilep to eflfed their*purpofe. As the di£^ator
was one day fitting on his tribunal in the forum, an offi*
cer^ (ent by thofe tribunes, commanded him to rif& and
£cdk>w him, laying his hand upon him at the fame time»
sui if he defigned to feize him, and carry him away by
fb^Fce* At this infult, fuch a noi£s and tumult arole in
tfaefoniiii, as never had been heard before, the patrici-
ans,, who attended Camillus, driving back the oflScer, and
tlie multitude at the .foot of the tribunal crying out,
*« PuU him down, pull him down.'* The defign of the
tribunes was, by this violence to frighten Camillus into
an abdication ; out he, though at a lofs what ftep to take^
in fuch an emergency, would not lay down the authority
which had been legally conferred upon him. In the midft
of this uproar, he took refuge in the fenate-houfe, whither
the patricians followed him ; and there the demands oi

22 1

Defeats the
iiauh on
the banks
oftheAnk^

rhetri"
bums fend
an qffieer t§
fesxe Cam
milbtSf
though diC'
tator* .

< Piux, in Camillo. Liv* lib« vi* cap. 411

the

22% ^^ Mbmari liiftoryl

thb people and their tribunes wer^ taken into cohliderai
tion. On this occaGon Camillus made a vow to build a
temple to Concord, in cafe he fucceeded in quieting thefe!
commotions* As the populace could not be prevailed
upon by any means to abate of their pretenfions, it was
refolvedj after many long and warm debates, to comply
with their requeft, and to accept the three laws in
queftion, as the only means to extinguifli their obftinate
fury. Thus the government was changed, the confulate
revived, and the military tribunefliip laidafide for ever '^^
Yr. of F}* The people having thus carried their point, the comitia
1996. were held for the eleAion of confuls, when L. iEmilius
Ante Chr, Mamercinus, and L. Sextius, the plebeian tribune, were
U c!*3o6. ^^^^'^^ ^^ ^^*^ dignity. However, wheii the ele&ion of
' Sextius came to be confirmed by the fenate, the tonfcript

^ifirfi fathers abfolutely refufed to give their aflent. The new
pUbeioM difputes between the two parties on this occafion were
€BM/uL carried to fo. great a length, that the people were ready to?
leave Rome, and feparate themfelves from the patriciansv
All the wifdom of a didator univerfally efteemed was
therefore neceflary to bring about an accommodation ; and
Camillus found out an expedient to which both parties
agreed. The confuls, and military tribunes, who had
long fupplie^ their places, were generals of the Roman
armies, and at the fame time judges of civil affairs ; but,
as they could not always attend to the latter branch of
their office, being commonly during the fummer in the
field, Camillus's expedient was, to feparate this fundion
from the confulate, and to create a judge, with the title
of Praetor, to whom it ihould be appropriated. He ad-
vifed the fenate to fuffer one conful to be chofen annu-
ally out of the plebeians, on condition that the praetors
{hould be always patricians. This motion was agreed to
by both parties* the ele£kion of Sextius was confirmed^
and all feuds and diflenfions in the republic were laid
afide'(r). ^^

^ Plut. ibid.. Liv. lib. vi. cap. 41, I Liv. liK vii. cap. u

(F) The praBtorfhip was then the management of political

looked upon as the fecond dig- and military affairs. The pra-

nity in the republic, the praetor tor was the chief magiimtc

being eleded in the comitia concerned hx the adminiuration

by centuries, and under the ofjuftice* At firft one praetor

fame aufpices as the confuls ; only was appointed. Aftef-

fo that they were in a manner wards, that is, about the year

colleagues. The conful had of Rome 501, another wa$

added:

The Roman Hiftotyl i22j

Tranquillity being thus rc-cftablifhed, the fenate, in The Gnat
gratitude to the gods, ordered the Great Games to be cele- Cams.
brated. Thefe Ihews formerly lafted only three days, but
iiow a fourth was added to them ; and on that account
their name was changed from Ludi Magni, or Great
Games, into that of Ludi Maximi, or the Greateft Games.
The prefent aediles refufing, for what reafon we know-
not, to make the neceflary preparations for the Great
Games, though that was a branch of their office, the
young patricians qricd out, "That, fince the affair ini
queflion was to take care of the worfliip of the gods, they
fliould think it no diflionour to be chofen aediles." The
diftator accepted the offer, and propofed to the people
the eftablifliment of two |)atrician aedilefhips, to which
they agreed. Thefe patrician aediles, from the ivory chair
call fella curulis, had the name of aediles curules, and Thi turuU
were of greater account, being curule magiftrates, than ^f^/f/.
the plebeian aediles. Their oufinefs was to take care
of the temples, theatres, games, markets, tribunals of
juftice, and the city walls, and alfo to fee that no no- / ^

Vclty was introduced into religion. In after-ages they
examined the fables, or pieces written for the flage,
and feem to have been the judges of other writings.
To them the genetals of armies, upon their return, de-
livered the com and provifions taken from the enemy,
as they furrendered the prifoners to the praetor and the
money to the quaeftor. Nothing now remained but to
mark out a place for the temple of Concord, which Ca- The temple
miUus had vowed. It was built, at the cxpence of the ofCo/tc9r4.

added : and then one of them the fecond triumvirate to fixty-
applied himfelf to the admi- four ; but in the declenfion of
niftration of juflice among the the empire, they were reduced
citizens, with the name of to three. When the number
Praetor Urbanus, while the of the prxtors was thus in-
other decided the differences creafed, the praetor urbanus
which arofe among foreigners, undertook the cognisance of
with the title of Praetor Pere- private caufes, and the others
grinus. Upon the taking of that of crimes ; whence they
Sicily and Sardinia, two more were alfo flyled Quaefitores.
praetors were created to affifl Befides thefe, there were alfo
theconfuls in the government, provincial praetors, whofe bu(i-
and as many more upon the nefsit was toadminiiler juflice
entire conqucfl of Spain. Syl- to the Roman provinces, and
la encreafed their number to command the troops there in
eight ; Julius Caefar, firft to time of war, till their office,
tCQi afterwards to iixteen ; and which was annual, expired,

publlcj

224

Kra> con-
€effions t9
tkipiOfU.

Diath of

Camlius^

I

Tie Roman Hifiory^

public^ upon an eminence at the. foot of the Capitol; £)
that it was feen from the forum, and the places where the
aflemblies were held, and juftice was adminiftered. Thus
ended a year fo glorious for Camillus. He had oTercome
the mod formidable enemies of Rome, reftoied peace to
the republic, and calmed the people without exafperating
the nobility. Full of glory, therefore, and of years, he laid
down the didatorfhip, wholly bent on fpending the fmall
remainder of his days in the repoic and tranqoillky of a
private life*

The enfuing year continued quiet both at home and
abroad, except that the tribunes of the people complained,
that for one plebeian conful granted to the people, the psu>
tricians had gained three curule magiilrates. Their com-
plaint^, backed with the murmurs of the people, made
an impreflion on the fenate ; and the patricians confented,
that the curule sdiles fhould be chofen out of the ple-
beians every fecond year. Afterwards they left the peo-
le at full liberty to choofe them every year out of either
lody. Thefe ellablifhments being once made, Rome
enjoyed a profound peace under the adminiftration of the
new confuls, L. Genucius, a plebeian, aiui Serviliu9
Ahala, a patrician. This year a dreadful plague broke
out, and fwept away great numbers ^ amongft the reft,
one cenfor, three tribunes of the people, and one curule
aedile \ but the moft fatal ftroke was the death of Ca-
millus, who was much regretted by all ranks of pec^le.
He was defervedly fly^ed a fecond Romulus, the firft
having founded, and he reftored, the city ". He is faid
never to have fought a battle without gaining a viftory,
never to have beiieged a city without talung it, and never
to have led an army into the field, which he did not bring
back loaded with glory and booty. He was a zealous
patriot, and, though perfecuted by his ungrateful conn*
try, would ijever execute any fcbcn»c of refentment againft
her. The neceffitics of the public ha fooner obliged the
people to have recourfe to him, than, forgetting the
affronts he had received, he took upon him tne condud:
of the moft difHcult undertakings. He was a patrician by
defcent, but not a£luated by party zeal, his love for the
public being the only rule of his conduct. He favoured
the plebeians when the intereft of the public rendered it
neceflary, without flattery or fetf-interefl. He bad no-
thing fo much in view as to end the diflcnfion^ which

»Iiv.lifo*Tit€ap.s..

weakened

fhe UotHan ttlflorf^

«2^

Weakened the republic^ j fo that he left his country in ttie

enjoyment of perfeft tranquility, by means of the equality

he had introduced, and the balance he had fettled between

all orders of men. In ihort, Rome furniflied the world ^

with many noble patterns of probity, but none, more per*

fe£l: than that of the incomparable Camillus.

As the plague ftill continued to r^ge, the Rontaris had
recourfe to an old fuperftition, called leftiftcrnium (G), TheleS'f
But as that did not remove the plague, the fupcrftitious A''*^"*^*
Romans endeavoured to appeafe the anger of the gods by
inftituting new fports, which were called Scenici, from -,, ^ .
their being reprefented on a fcene, that is, a ftage built fb^f^^^
inthefliade°(H). The

A Liv. ibid*

(G) This Was a religious
entertainment made for the
gods in their own temples,
where tables were fpread, and
beds placed round them, on
which the gods, according to
the Roman fafhion, Were to
lie and eat. 1 he beds were
placed Qear the altars, and
ftrewed with leaves and odori-
ferous herbs, as well as the
temples; whence this cere-
mony had the name of ledi-
flernium, that is, a ilrewing
of a bed. The ftatues of Ju-
piter and the other gods were
laid upon thefe beds, as if they
had been to partake of the
feaft. The goddeffes were
placed on chairs, after the
manner of the Roman women,
this being thought the more
decent pcSlure for their fex.

(H) The performers were
brought out of Hetruria, in
the langurge of which country
i&f^^r fignined a player ; whence
came the Latin word hijlrio,
Thefe hiftriones, or a&ors,
danced to the flute, and kept
time with their motions and
geftures ; but their dances, in
thefe early times, were notac*

YoL. X.

companied by any yttt^tt of
difcourfes. Thefe were foon
fucceeded by fatires written ia
verfe, and fet to the flute;
which fatires were repeated
with fuitablc geftures* Some
years after, Livius AndronicUs
turned the fatires into regular
plays; and then the farces,
which made people laugh, were
defpifed. However, the Roman
youth revived thefe farces,
and a6ted them at the end or
their ferious pieces. When
theprofefledadtorshad finiflied
their parts, fome young Ro-
mans came upon the ilage
malked, and began to repeat
merry vcrfes as tormerlyj but
fuch as were free from obfce*
nity. Thefe pieces were firft
brought from Atella, a city of
Campania, and called exodia,
that is, verfes not belonging
to the play. Cornelius Nepos
fays, that in Greece it was no
diihonour to a man to appear
upon the flage in the habit of
an adtor ; whereas among the
Romans it was infamous, and
held unworthy of an honeft
man. The profefled adtora
could hot be incorporated in
CL any

Zt6'

Manllus
' Imperofus

Thf Roman Hi/lory^

The fcei^ic plays, which were jntrodaced at this timey
were performed in a part of the circus, near the banks of
the Tiber, which happening to overflow, the people con-
cluded, that the new remedy was not efficacious to ap-
peafe the wrath of heaven. They, therefore,, revived an
old religious ceremony, which was faid to have proved
efieciual in the like calamity. This was the driving of
a nail, by a di£tator, into that part of the wall of Jupiter
Capitolinus's temple, which divided it from the chapel of
Minetva under the fame roof (I). A dictator was accord-
ingly named for performing this ceremony ; and the per-
fon raifed to that dignity was T. Manlius, who, from his
haughty fpirit, was furnamed Imperiofus. He chofe L.
Pinarius Natta for his general of the horfe, and, with
great pomp and folemnity, drove the nail into the wall of
the temple. The proud diflator, unwilling to have the
whok bii&nefs of his office confined to one religious

any tribe, and confequently
had no right of fuffi'age. None,
who a£ted on the ftage, were
capable of ferving in the le-
gions, or bearing any civil or
military employment. A fc-
uacor, if he adied but once on
the ftage, was immediately de*
graded ; and a knight forfeited
all his privileges. An adtrefs
was infamous, and fubjed^ to
the fame laws as common prof-
titutes. Thefe punifhments
were decreed and inflicted by
an edid of the praetor : ** Ait
prajtor, (fays Ulpian), qui in
fceuam prodierit, infamis e&
(i)." But the aiders of the
Attellanse were not comprifed
under this law, the Roman
nobility confining the acting of
thefe performances to them-
felves. K any ador in thefe
pieces did not perform his part
well, the people did not oblige
him to unmalk, which they
had a right to do with refpeiS
to the profelTed adtors. .

(I) This odd ceremony was
borrowed from the Volfinien-
fes in Hetruria, who reckoned
their years by nails, which
they drove into .a temple of
the goddefs Nortia, or For-
tune. When Brutus and Ho-
ratius Pulvillus were confals,
immediately after the expulfion
of the Tarquins, the Romaos
built the famous temple of ju«
piter^ Juno, and Minerva;
and refolved to mark down in
it, and thereby tranfmit to
pofterity, the number of years
which had pafTed fince the
^ foundation of Rome ; but as
they were then unacquainted
with the numeral letters, they
drove as many nails into the
wall of the temple, .as there
had pafTed years fince their city
was founded. Every year
afterwards, on the ides of Sep-
tember, the chief praetor, or
conful for the time being,
drove a nail into this wall,
which (hewed the year of his
confuhhip. .

(x) Uipian« lib. ii. part v. IF. De iis qui infamia notantur.

cercmonyi

3vfe Roman Hijiory. ztj

Mfemony, ordered troops to be raifed, and eren forced
the citizens, chough worn out with long ficknefs^ to inlift
themfelveS) under pretence that the-Hernici were prepar-
itig to fliake off the Roman yoke ; but, as he had been
nominated didiator to perform a religious ceremony, and
not to command an army, the tribunes of the people r€- ObUgidhf
peUed force with force, and at length obliged him to lay J ^^fj^
down his office : he had no fooner refigned, than he was cited bU
cited by M. Pomponius, one of the tribunes, to ^tifwcr fore the
for the violence and cruelty he had exercifed over the citi- #«#^« .
. 2en$ ; for he had imprifoned fome, and caufed others to
be barbaroufly fcourged. He was alfo accufed of treating
inhumanly one of his own fons, by name Titus, whom
he had confined to the country, obliging him to work
among his flaves, becaufe he was of flow parts, and had
an impediment in his fpeech« This inftance fhe^Si
that the abfolutc power which fathers, by the laws' of
Rome, had over their children, was kept within bounds
by the fuperior authority of the magiftrates. Manlius
had, according to cuftpm, a copy of his accufation given
him, and the ufual time of twcnty-feven days allowed
him to prepare for his defence*

All were highly exafperated againft fo fevere a di£ta<»
tor, and fo barbarous a father, except the fon himfelf,
who, moved with filial piety, and under the greateft con-
cern that hefhonld furnifh matter of accufation againft his
father, refolved upon a moft extraordinary method to acquit
him of the charge. Early in the morning he left the coun- Aremarl*
try-houfe, to which he had been banifhed by his unnatural fi^^^^^f
father, came to the city, and flopped no where till he reach- fUialpietv^
cd the houfe of Pomponius, who was yet in bed. Titus
was immediately admitted by the tribune, who did not
doubt but he was come to difcover to him fome new in-
ftances of his father's feverity. After they had faluted
each other, Titus defired a private conference; and every
body was ordered to withdraw. Then the young man
drawing out a poinard, and holding it clofe to the tri-
bune's throat, threatened to ftab him that moment, if he
did not (Vear to defift from the profecution he was carry-
ing on againft his father. Pomponius readily fwore what-
ever the other was pleafed to didkate ; and aftually drop-
ped the profecution. The people were not difpleafed at
the bold enterprise of a fon in favour of a father, , by
whom he had been ufed in the cruelleft manner. They
all extolled his piety ; and not only for his fake par-
doned the father, hut the fame year raifed hini to one of
0.2 the

2f8

Thi iortk
§betts in the

fit

Curtius
leaps into
the gulf.

rhe Ro^
mans de-
feaudt and

Ike eanful
killed.

The Roman Hlfiory.

the mod impoftant pods in the Roman army, that of Ie>»
gionary tribune **.

. This year the Hernici revolted ; but while the Romans
MTCre preparing to reduce them> an unforefeen accident
threw the city into the utmoft confternation. The earth
opened all on a fudden in the midfi: of the forum ; pro-
bably by the violence of an earthquake. The citizens,
having laboured in vain to fill up the chafm by throwing
great quantities of earth into it, had at laft recourfe to the
augurs, who declared, that they would never be able to
compafs their defign, till that thing, in which the ftrength
and power of the Roman people confifted, was thrown
into the place ; and that fuch a vi£lim would fecure the
eternal duration of the Roman ftate. While they were
confulting about the meaning of this oracle, M. Curtias,
a brave young patrician, having firfl: afked. Whether
Rome had any thing more valuable than arms and valour,
armed himfelt completely ; then mounting a horfe rich-
ly caparifoned, he came to the forum, and, in the fight
of the people, who were afiembled in crowds, devoted
himfelf to death for his counti;y, and rode full fpeed into
the gulf; an a£tion, which fome hiftorians would wil-
linjgly magnify with a miracle ; for they tell us, that the
ground immediately clofed ; but the moft judicious wri-
ters own, that the opening was afterwards filled up with
earth and rubbifh p. After M. Curtius had thus devoted
himfelf, the Romans did not doubt but they (hould foon
humble the Hernici : but they were difappointed ; for
Genucius, the firft plebeian conful who had ever been
entrufted with the command of an army, fell into an
ambufcade, and was killed, after the legions had aban-
doned him. Some hiftorians feem to doubt, whether he
did not fall by the hand bf a Roman ; at leaft it is certain,
the melancholy news of his defeat did not fo much grieve
the patricians, as raife their pride. They exclaimed, in
ail places, tliat the misfortunes of Rome were owing to
the violation of human and divine rights in the confecra-
tion of a plebeian conful. To wipe ofi^ the difgrace
which Rome had received, it was refolved to create a dic-
tator. ServiliuSf the furviving conful, named to that
high office Appius Claudius, the moft inveterate enemy
of the plebeian party, that he might repair the loffes
which the republic had fuftained by a plebeian conful.

• Liv. lib. vii.cap.4., & 5. Cic. Offic. lib. iii. Val. Max. lib. Vr
cap. 4- P Liv. lib. vii. cap. 6. Val. Max, lib. v. cap. 6. OroC

Itb. iii, cap. 5. Aug^i dc Civit* Dei, lib« v. cap. iS»
-'• , While

The Roman Hiftory.

While tbe di£lator was employed in faifing a fecond
army, the Hernici, elated with their late fuccefs, advanced
with great boldnefs to bedege the vanquithed in their
camp \ but C. Sulpitius, who had been lieutenant to Ge-
nucius, and had, after the defeat and death of his ge*
neral, colle£):ed his fcattered troops/ fa! lying out upon
them, obliged thera to return to their own entrenchments*
Appius foon after arrived with a new army, which h#
had juft raifed in the city ; and, having exhorted his men
to imitate the bravery of Sulpicius, and the foldiers imdcr
his command, prepared for a general engagement. The
Hernici, hearing that a dlfkator was created to carry ca
the war againft him, exhaufted their country of men to
reinforce their army ; none, who were «AJe to hear arms,
being excufed from taking the field. Out of this multi-
tude they chofe three thoufand two hundred men, whom
they divided into eight cohorts, of four hundred men
each. This was the flower of the enemy's troops -, and
their generals, to diftinguiih them from the reft, and en-
gage thi^mtd exert themfelves in battle, not only allowed
them double pay, but exempted them from all the labo-
rious offices of the army. The didator no fooner began
to draw up his men, than the Hernici followed his ex-
ample, in a plain which lay between the two camps.
This was the field of battle ; and never were forces more
equal, or the vidJory more doubtful. The Roman knights
^engaged the eight cohorts; but, notwithftanding their
utmbft efforts, the enemy maintained their ground with*
out flinching^ The bad fuccefs of this onfet made the
Roman cavalry change their way of fighting. They dif-
mounted, and, with permiffion of their general, pofted
themfelves in the firfi: line, at the head of the infantry.
The eight cohort's ftill fought with incredible bravery,
the reft of the fojdiers in both armies being idle fpeAators
of a battle fought by the flower of the two nations. The
vi£l?dry was a long time doubtful, many falling on both
fides 5 but at length the better fortune of the Romans
prevailed ; the cohorts firft retreated in good order ; and
then, being warmly prefTed, gave way, and fled in confii-
Con. The conquerors purfued the enemy to their camp^;
but night prevented them from attempting to force 'it.
Next morning the Romans found it abandoned, the Her-
nici having retired under the walls of their cities. This
•viftory coft the Romans dear; for they are faid to have
loft a fourth part of their army, and a great number of
knightjs. The dji£tat6r returned to the city ; but did not
0^3 pbtaia

^t^

Yr. of Fl.

200S.

Ante Chr.

346-
U. C. 40s.

Clamttiut

The Her-

met de"
feated ly
the dtQi^,

tot' «,

339

Tirentlum
iakenfrom
theHirnicu

r. Stuine-
tiui Pennus

iomXf
njoith a

The Roman Hiftory* .

obtain a triumph, the people being, in all likelihood, iin?
willing to beilow that honour on the moft declared enemy
of the plebeian party '.

Notwithftanding the misfortune of Genucius, the cenv
turies chofe another plebeian conful, C. J^icinius Stolo, a
fecond time ; and with him C. Sulpicius, fumamed Per
ticus. As the moft violent enemy of the plebeiaiis had
been nominated dictator the laft year by the patricians, fo
the moftenterprifing adverfary of the nobility was now
raifed to the higheft ofEce by the fuflxages of the people.
The two confuls entered the enemy's country together ;
but finding no enemy in the field, they befieged and took
Ferentinum, formerly a city of the Volfci, which had
been given up to the Hernici by the Romans. After the
furrender of this place, they took the road to Roipe j but
when they came to Tybur, they were furprifed to find the
gates of that city (hut againft them. Upon enquiry,
they found, that the Tyburtines were in fecr^t intelli-
gence with the Gauls, who were again in motion. The apr
prehenfion of a war with fo formidable an enemy, deter-
mined them to create a di£lator. T. Quin£lius Pennus
was the perfon nominated to that dignity, and he apr
pointed Serv- Cornelius to be his general of the horfe.
Meanwhile the Gauls advanced to the banks of the Anio^
within three miles of Rome. The Roman army, under
ihe command of the di£^ator, advanced to meet them,
and encamped on the oppofite banks of the river. Both
armies lav near a bridge, which neither o£Fered to break
down, left it fhould feem to argue fear : .fo that this
bridge became the fcene of feveral combats between the
champions of both parties. One day a Gaul of gigantic
ftature advancing upon the bridge, cried with a loud
voice, " Let the braveft man in the Roman army enter
the lifts with me ; the fuccefs of our combat fhali detert-
mine which is the more valiant nation.'' His extraorr
binary appearance ftruck the Romans with fo much terror,
4hat, for a long time, not one in the whole army ofiPered
to accept the challenge. At length young Manlius, who
had fo remarkably fignalized his piety to his father, touch**
:ed with a juft fenfe of the affront offered to the Roman
.name, quitted his poft ; and, flying to the di£tator, a(ked
leave to encounter the Gaul. *• Though I were fure of
viftory (faid he), I would not fight this proud Gaul,
without your order ; but, if you will give me leave, J will

' |iv. ibid. cap. %•

l??^k€

The Roman Hiftory. 231

fiiake this huge bead know, that I am of the blood of that
Maniius whofe valour proved fo fatal to the Gauls on
the Capitol." The dictator readily complied with the
requcft of the brave youth. " Go, Maniius, (faid he),
and humble the pride of this infulting enemy. Revenge
the caufe of the city where you firft drew your breath, as
iuccefsfuUy as you relieved him to whom you owe it."
Upon this permiflion the Roman, having changed his
rouiid buckler,^ which he wore as a Roman knight, for a
fquare Oiield, and armed himfelf with a fhort fword, fit
both for cutting aud {tabbing, advanced againft the Gaul,
Vrbo ilrutted about in his armour, making an oftentatipus
fliew of his ftreagtb. Both Romans and Gauls retired
to their refpe£live pods, leaving the bridge free for the
two champions. The Gaul began the combat, by dif-
charging a great blow with his long fword at Maniius,
which made much noife, but did no execution. The
Roman, dexteroufly flipping under his enemy's (hield
before be recovered his heavy fword, dabbed him in
two plaices, .:fo that he foon meafured his length on' the
ground. The conqueror cut off his head 5 and (hatching
from. his neck' a golden collar, put it about his own in
token of viclory. From this circumftance he obtained the
furnamc of Torquatus, which he tranfmitted to his pof-
terity. The event oi this combat fo difcouraged the
Gauls,, that they abandoned d^eir camp in the night, and
retired into Campania '.

C^ Pestilius Libo, and M. Fabius Ambuftus, being
cle£i:ed confuls for the enfuing year, the firft wa6 fent
with an army, to punifh the Tyburtines ; and the other
was ordered to march againft the Hernici, who perfifted
in their revolt. The two confuls had no fooner left Rome,
Aan the Gauls appeared again ; and, venturing to ad-
vance into the neighbourhood of the city, blocked up the
gate.Collina. However, the fenate did not think proper
to recall either of the confuls. A dicSlator was created to StrviRm
make bead againft thofe dangerous enemies. The con- Ahala
fuls pitched upon Servilius Ahala, who, havipg named *^^^^^^»
T. Quindllus to be his general of horfe, and armed alt «
the youth in Rome, engaged the Gauls under the walls
©f the city^ As the Romans fought in fight of their pa- - '"
rents, wives, and children, who were on the ramparts,
they behaved with extraordinary v.ilour. The battle was
f ery bloody, and the field icovered with dead bodies ; but

Hi ovir»

comes ond
hills him.

ThiGatds
thereupfta
retiru '

* Li?, lib. viit cap. 9, 10, it« Orof. Ub^ v. cap. 6*
<^4

at

?3^

Vhe Gauls
wtd Hit'
nici di*
femtd.

fhe "Ret-
ttici /ub'»

Sidflcius

FetictiSf

dt£iaior^

marches

ugainft the

^^uls..

The Roman fjifi&ty. ^

but at length the Gauls gave way, and fled towards T74
bar, where the conful Paetilius lell upon them, with 4
defign to prevent them from taking refuge in that city :
but the Tyburtines Tallying out, covered their retreat; fo
that they efcaped, but not without great lofs* On the
other hand, Fabiu$ fought the Hernici with fuccefs, and
overcame them in a general a£Uon. Thus was the re-
public thi§ yeai vidorious on all (ides. The honours of a
triumph were chiefly due to the didiator; but he, either
defpifmg them from pride, or declining them out of mo«
4efty, on his return to Rome, highly commended the
two confuls, both to the fenate and people i and then,
'without mentioning his own exploits, abdicated the die-
tatorfliip. Pa^tilius folicitsd a triumph, and obtained it;
but his colleague F^bius, who had conqu^ed the Her-i
nici, was content with an ovation ^

Next year, Cn. Manlius Imperiofus and M. Popilius
laTcnzs being confuls, the Tyburtines advanced in the dead
of night to the gates of Rome, and alarmed the €ity» the
people believing the Gauls were come again j but the re-
turn of light difcovcring only a fmali number of Tybur^
tineS} the confuls marched out, at two different gates, and
cafily repulfed the bold aggreffors. The confuls for the
next year were C. Fabius Ambuftus, and C. Plautius
iProculus. The latter marched againft the Hernici, and
totally fubdued them ; but the former, being fent againft
the Tarquinienfes, who h^d entered the Roman territory
in arms, was defeated. The Tarquinienfes took three
hundred and feven Rom^n prifoners ; and, to {hew their
contempt of the republic, firft treated them in a barbarous
jpianner, and then cut their throats. The difadvanugc
j'abius had fufi^ered, was followed by an alarni from the
Boii, virho appeared in the plain of Praenefte, and froni
thence advanced as far as Pedum, a city of Latium, be-
tween Tybur and Tufculum, not above ten miles from
Jlome i but the Latins, tired with feeing their country
almoft cyery year plundered by the Gauls, renewed very
i^afonably their* alliance with Rome, and furniflied he;»
grmies with the fame quota of men they had formerly
^ipukted to grant. With this reinforcement, the repubh.
Uc >yas able to oppofe all her enemies. As the confuU
were both employed elfewhere, Sulpicius, fumamed Pe-
ticus, was created di£tator, to conduct the war againft
(he Gauls. The di£lator named M. Valerius for general

« liy. lib, viif c^p. ii» ?? IV

«f

The Roman Hiftory. jjj

of the horfe j and having chofen the beft legions in the
confular armieS) he took the field, and marched again(t
the enemy. Both armies were very impatient to come to
a battle ; but the dictator reftrained the impetuofity of
his men, knowing that the GauU muft necelTarily bo
foon diftrefled for want of provifions, iince they had
brought none with them, nor prepared any magazines^
The foldicrs began to complain of their general's conduft,
and even threatened open^ly to attack the enemy without
his leave, or to quit the camp, and march back to Rome :
they came in crowds to the diftator's quarters, and de-*
manded accefs to him, having named Sesi^tius Tuilius to
be their fpeaker ".

Sextias was an officer of diftinguifhed courage, anft
had been feven years firft captain of the firft corps of the
army. The didator was therefore furprifed to fee a com-
pany of feditious men headed by an officer of his rank
and reputation. Sextius, in the name of the army, re*

Eroached the diftator with the difadvantageous opinion
e fcemed to entertain of his troops, and prefled him to
lead them againft the enemy. His difcourfe was fol-
lowed by the acclamations of the multitude, who de-
manded leave to arm, and march to battle. The didator
could not help complying with their requeft ; and there-
fore promifed to lead them out againft the enemy the next
day. Then taking Sextius afide, he afked what could
have induced him to be at the head of a fa£iion. The brave
centurion replied, that it was not want of refpefb to his
general^ or the ignorance of the martial laws ; but to di-
vert the unruly multitude from choofing a leader, who
might have done fomething injurious to the dignity of the
diSator. He then exhorted Suipicius to yield to the de-
j&res of thofe impetuous men, who were ftrongly inclined
to feize the firft opportunity of fighting without his leave.
The di<Eiator followed his advice: he ordered all the
inuleteers of the army to put upon their mules the furni-
ture of war^horfes, to mount them, and, marching up
the hills in the night-time, conceal themfelves in the
woods, till they fhould receive farther orders.

As foon as it was day, Suipicius led his troops out of
their intrenchments, and marched againft the Gauls, who
did not expe£t to fee the Romans appear fo foon in the
field. He formed his army in fuch a manner, that all Jfta<kt
th^ legionaries, who ufed to attack the enemy at the head ^^^^*

« {4v. lib, vii, cap, \«.

9(

>34

t§r*sgal'
lant heha*

Higatns

a eampUti

' Lanv
againJI
can'oaffing
Jor voUt*

^he Rontan Hj/lory.

of their legiqn8» with a fort of darts ^ Called pila, fuc«
ceeded one another in files. When one company of them
was within reach of the enemy, they difcharged their
darts, and inftandy retired, leaving a fpace between them
^nd the Gauls : then a fecond company took the place of
the other* Thus four companies fucceeded, difcharging
their darts, and fj^Uing back, without fufFering the Gauls,
who depended chiefly on their long fwords, to come near
them. This repeated difcharge of darts, which put the
^nemy into confufion^ was no fooner over, than the reft
of the legions clofed in with them fword in hand. The
Gauls, however, fuftained the attack with great bravery,
and even obliged the right wing of the Romans to give
ground. The di£batory who was . there in perfon, flying
to the foremoft ranks, " Is this (faid he) the efib£t of
your promifes ? Will all your boldnefs in the camp end
in a (hameful flight in the field i Follow your general,
if you are true Romans." H^tving thus fpoken, tl^ brave
dictator advanced fword in hand at the head, of bis lot
gions, who threw themfelves upon the enemy's battalions^
and fought like men in defp^. There was, indeed,
more of a favage fiercenefs than true courage in this 2U
tack ; but it fucceeded» The Gauls were put to flighty
and the Romans purfued them ; but the c^nemy rallied
near their right wing, which kept its ground/ though at-
tacked with great vigour by the dilator, at dbe Jiead of
his vi£torious troops. Then Sulpicius fent, orders to his
muleteers to leave their ambufcade» appear in the plain,
and march towards the camp of the Gauls, who no fooner
faw them, than they quitted their ranks, and haflfened m
confufion to the defence of their intrenchments : but M.
Valerius, general of the horfe, who had pofted himfelf
near the enemy's campi after the defeat of their left wing,
intercepted their flight ; fo that they had no retreat but
to the mountains and woods, Valerius purfued them
clofe with his cavalry, and put moft of them to the fworc^
^ the whole plain being for fomc miles covered with dead
bodies. This viftory left the republic no enemies in
Latium. The Hernici were fubdued, the Gauls van»
qui&ed^ and the Latins quieted. Sulpicius, when he had
been hqnoured with a triumph, which he well deferved,
refigncd the diftatorfliip, and the government returned
into the hands of tbe confuls. During their adminiftra«
tion, a law was pafled, at the. motion of Faetilius the tri^
hune, againft openly canvafling for votes ; for the novi
homines^ or upjlarts, more ambitious 'of oflices than the

patriciaim

The Roman Hijl^ry. ^35

patrichins themfelves, not only folicited tlue fuffrages of
the people in the forum, but even went to the country
fairs, and other public meetings, to buy voices ''.

Under the fucceeding confuls, C. Martius KutUus and
Cn. Manlius Imperiofus, the intereft of money, which * .
hitherto had been arbitrary, was, at the motion of Duilias
and Msenius, two tribunes of the people, fettled at one
per cent. The patricians, difpleaf^ with a: law, which Lieimus .
let bounds to their avarice, in order to revenge them- ^^?^^ <■**•
fclves on the plebeians, cited the famous Licinius Stolo fi^fj'^
to anfwer for a breach of one of the four laws, which he
iimfelf had fo zealoufly promoted, forbidding any citi«*
zento poflefs more than five hundred acres of ^nd. hu
cinius adiually poffeiTed a thoufand ; but, to cover his
breach of the law, had emancipated his fon,/ of given up
his authority over him, and made him the nominaLpof«>
ftSoT of ont half of his poflei&ohs : but as this emancipa-^
tion was made to evade the law, he was convicted of
fraud before the prxtor, and fined ten thoufand jifes of
brafg, that is, about thirty-two pounds ftcrling *. This frinftr^
lame year the conful Martius defeated the Privernatcs, T"V^^
who had declared againft Rome, and took tljeir city. His /^i,^
colleague Manlius marched againft the Falifci, a people
of Hetruria j but gained no confiderable advantage over
them.

Nothing was talked of ^at Rome,, but his attempt upon
the conftitution. He had ventured to afiemble the tribes
near Sutrium, and made a law in his camp, whereby it
ms enaded, that, for the future, the twentieth part of
the price of every flave fliould be paid inito the public
trcafury. The law pafled, by the favour of the fenate,
notwithftanding its irregularity ; but the tribunes of the
people thought this ftep might be of dangerous confe-
^ucncc to the public liberty: ^* The tribes (faid they)
when aflembled in a camp, and by an armed conful, are
not free to vote as they pleafe : befides, th^ foldiers, who
are fworn to obey their generals, will of courfe give their
fuftages as their commanders dire£t them." To prevent,
therefore, thefc inconveniences, the. tribunes procured
the promulgation of a law, forbidding any magiftrate to
aflemble the comitia any where but at Rome, under pain
<rf death. However, the law for paying the twentieth
part of the price of every flave was not repealed. The
two confuls for the following year, M. Fabius Ambuftul

▼ Li?, Ub. vii. cap. 12^ 13. Faft. Capit. * Ltv. lib. vii*

f^P* 16. Yal, Max. Ub, f iii. cap. 6. niji. lib. xviii. cap. 3.

and

9,^6 The Rx>mm ISfiory.

Wttr with and M. Popilius Lsenas, were employed, the firft againft
tAi Faii/ci, the Falifci and Tarquinienfes, ^nd the latter againft the
iki Tar- Tyburtines. Popilius, not finding the enemy in the field,
Vmdthf ravaged their country, and carried ofi^ a great boot)' ; but
7>^«r/i#«.*"Fabiu8, after having gained fomc advantage over the
united forces of the Falifci and Tarquinienfes, was ohiiged
to retire^ all Hetruria taking up arms againft him y.

..Upon his retreat, ^ numerous armv of Hetrurians ad«
vanced as far as thef ialt-pits on the oanks of the Tibei,
■ Their approach obliged the Romans to have recourfe to a
Yr. of Fl. di£lator. The conful Popilius named him in the abfence
*oo7. of his colleague, and, as- he was a plebeian himfelf, pitch-
Ante Chr. ^ ^jp^jj Q Marcius Rotilus, the pkbcian conful for the
U. ct 407, **ft JtTiX^ The- <ii<2ator likewife chofe a plebeian, C,
^ Plautius Proculusj for his general of horfe. The patri«
C. Marcius cians, highly provoked at thefe promotions, did all that
Kutilus lay in their power to prevent the didator from having
^*^^^* foch things decreed him as were necdffary.for the wan
But the people haftened the preparaqona for the cam*
paign ; fo that every thing being rieady £c»or>er tham ^rfiuai^
the di£tator took the field without delay, marched to the
enemy's camp, furprifed and forced it, nothing being abk
to withftand the Roman foldiery under the conduA of a
plebeian dictator, the fifrft who had eyer been raifed to
that office. Hiftorians do not mention how many He-
iruri^ns periflied in the battle ; but leave us to guefs by
the number of prifoners ; for we are told, that eight thoa^i
Trmmphs fand were taken in this famous a£lion. This vi£lory de^
9^frtke ferved the honour of a triumph, which the patriciaos,
m^'^^ jealous of the glory of a plebeian dictator, oppofedto the
utmoft of their power : but the people did him juftice;
fo that he entered Rome in triumph the day before the
. pones of May ■.

The time drawing near for dealing new confuls, and
there being hone bttt plebeian magiftyates in Rome to pre*
fide in the comitia, the nobility raifed difficulties againft
holding them. They pretended, that it was not lawful
for any plebeian, though a di£kator, to prefide in them.
JtiMiir" The pontifical laws, fa id they, require, that the eledtiou
figtmm, of chief magiftrates fbould be confecrated by auguries,
which belong of right only to the patricians. They pre-
vailed: the dictator, and the conful Popilius* were cx-»
eluded on account of their birth. As it was neceflary to
have fome magiftrate of the firft rank to prefide at tli^

• y Liv. lib. vii. cap. 17. « Li v. lib. vii. cap. 17. Orof.

lib, iii. cap.$. Eutrop, lib. ii* F^ft. Capit.

The Roman Htfiory. 237

^le^ion, the rejjublic had recourfe to an' iiiterregnumj
during which it was governed hy fix patricians, C^Ser-
▼ilius Ahala, M. Fabius, Cn. Manlius, C. Fabius, 8ulpi-
cius, and L. j3Eftiilius, Thefe governed by turns, and
managed their affairs fo well, that the plebeians, in the
very year in which they triumphed moft, were excluded
from a fliare in the government ; for C. SuJpicius Peticus»
and M. Valerius Poplicola, both patricians, were raifed
to the cpnfulate, though for the laft eleven yeas one of . *
the confttls had been a plebeian. The tribunes exclaimed
againft the cleftion, as contrary to the laws 5 but Fabius,
who prefidedin the comitia, filenced them, by quoting a
law of the Twelve Tables, whereby itwasenaftcd, " That
onlythe laft edid of the people ftiould be of force, and ren-
der all preceding ones null." From thence he inferred,
that the Roman people, by giving their votes to two pa-
tricians, had repealed the law, which divided the confu-*
late between the patricians and plebeians *•

The confuls of tWs year took Empulum from the Ty-
burtines. When the time came for new eleftions, they T/ieTyBur.
declared, that they would not refign their dignity into tines are
any hands, but thofe from which they had received it. totally fub^
«* We hold the confulate (faid they), of the fenate and ^^*
patricians; and therefore think ourfelves bound, both in
honour and gratitude, not to refign it into any hands but
theirs/' This extraordinary proceeding occafioned fuch
commotions in the Campus Marti us, that the greater
nutxiber of the people cried out, they ought not only to
diflblve the aflembly, but leave Rome, as their anceftors
had done. Many aftually retired, leaving only the leaft
pailionate behind th^m, who gave their fufFrages for two
patricians, M. Fabius Ambuftus, and T. Quindius Pen-
nus, who took the field without delay agaimt the Tibur-
tines and Tarquinienfes. The former were totally fub-
dued by Fabius, and the latter defeated in a bloody battle
by Quin£lius, who, to revenge the cruelty they had for-
mei ly committed on three hundred and feven Roman fol-
diers, put all the prifoners to the fword, except three
hundred and fifty-eight, whom he fent to Rome, where,
by order of the fenate, they were fcourged, and then be-
headed. Thefe viftories gained the Romans fuch repu-
tation among the Italian nations, that the Samnites fent
an embafly to Rome, to propofe an alliance with the re-
public. The ambafladors were kindly received by 'the

» Liv. lib. viif cap, t8,

fenate^

i3J

The Sam*

mites enter
into an al-
liance ivith
R^/ne*

ManRus

TorquatUS

An inter-
regnum.

the Roman tiiftoif.

fenate, and the alliance concluded, the Sanlnltes ^
gaging to furnifh the republic with troops, when required^
and the Romans promifing to protefl them againft their
enemies both at home and abroad ^.

The patricians had gained fuch an afcendant over the
people, that they kept the confulate in their own hands,
and promoted to that dignity C. Sulpicius Peticus, andM.
Valerius Poplicola. The former marched agairxft the Tar-
quinienfes, and the latter againft the Volfci^ who were
again in motion. The confuls had fcarce taken the field,
when Valerius was recalled to nominate a dictator, the
fcnate being informed by Sulpicius, that the Caerites were
difpofed to take part with the Tarquinienfes, and that the
Falifci had already joined them. Valerius named T. Man-
Ixus Torquatus to the didlatorfliip, though he had ncrcr
been conful, aneceflary ftep to that fuprcmc dignity; but
Valerius regarded nothing but the merit of Manliusin
the choice ; and his nomination was not oppofed, though
contrary to law. The new dictator, having named Cor-
nelius Coffus to be general of horfe, was preparing to
march againft the Gaerites ; but they, being fenfible thcf
could not withftand the brave Torquatus, fent deputies
from all their towns to implore the clemency of the Ro-
mans. The fenate referred the deputies to the people,
who, being reminde4 that Caere had been the afylum of
the Veftals, when Rome was taken by the Gauls, re-
ceived them into favour, and granted a truce for a hun-
dred years. Then the didiator led his army againft the Fa-
lifci ; and, finding no enemy in the field, laid wafte their
country, and returned to Rome, where all things con-
tinued quiet, till the time came for the new elevens.

Thediftator, who was to prefide in the comitia, had
formed a defign of excluding the plebeians ; which the
tribunes being aware of, oppofed the aflembling of the
centuries, till the expiration of the didatorihip, which
ended with the confuls year. Thus the republic fell into
an interregnum ; and thofe, who then governed, found
both parties irreconcileable. The difputes rofe to fuch a
height, as threatened an open revolt; which fo terrified
the fathers, that they fufiered at length the Licinian law
to take place, and one of the confuls to be chofen, agree-
ably to that law, out of the plebeians. The perfon&
cleded were, P. 'Valerius Poplicola, a patrician, and C,

^Liv. ibid. cap. 19,

Marciur

^be Roman HiJiory4 235^

Marcios Rutilus, a plebeian, who was now ^ifed to this
office a fecond time *^-

The firft care of the new confuls was. to regulate xh^ Thepa^*
payment of debts, the only obftruftion to a perfeft union ^ent of
of the patricians and plebeians. They no longer confi- ^'*'^*'^f»-
dered the relief of debtors as a private aflair, but as a ge- ^' *
ncral concern of the public ; and therefore chofe five men
of known probity, and great experience, to take an ac-
count of all the debts or the plebeians, Thefe five were
called bankers, and had the command of the public trea-
fury to enable them to difcharge their commiflion ; which
tbey did to the fatisfaftion of both parties, Thofe wbo,
out of floth and idlenefs, had plunged themfelves into
debt, either borrowed money of thefe, bankers, giving the
treafury fecurity for it, or depofited the value of their
debts in cfFefts, which were eftimated by the bankers.
By thefe means the greateft p?irt of the debtors were re-
lieved without injury to any perfon, and with little lofs to
the public.

Tranquility being thus eftabliflied at home, the city was Yr. of FI.
faddenly alarmed with a report, that the twelve lucumo- *oii.
nies of Hetruria had entered into an alliance againft the ^^^^ ^^^*
republic, and were ready to invade her territories. Upon ^^ c!^lii,
this information, Julius lulus w^ts named didlator, and '
he appointed L, JEmilius, furnamed Mamercinus, gene* Juim
ral of the horfe ; but the report proved groundlefs, and lulus di^
was in all likelihood artfully fpread by the patricians, that '^^*
they might have an opportunity of placing a man at the
head of the republic, who was able to prevent the execu-
tion of the Licinian law. Indeed Julius ufed all his ere- -
dit and authority to get two patricians chofen confuls ; .
but he was fo warmly oppofed by the tribunes, that both
he and the confuls went out of their ofiice, before the
comitia could be aiTembled for a new ele£lion. In the
interregnum which enfued, C. Sulpicius Peticus and M,
Fabius governed fucceflively, and induced the people ta
comply with the patricians. Two patricians were cho-
fen, Sulpicius himfelf» and T. Quinfiius Cincinnatus, ThiTarm
h their adminiftration, the Tarqumienfes and Falifci, quiniinfis
tired with the calamities of war, fubmitted to the repub- jubmit.
lie, and obtained a truce for forty years. The peace the
Komans enjoyed giving them a favourable opportunity
to choofe new cenfors, the day was fixed for tne comitia
^ proceed to this new ele£tion.

c Lit, lib' vii« cap. sq, %U

None

n

2^0 ^^ Roman Kijiory.

None but the moft illuftrious patricians bad evef cftA'
joyed this dignity ; but C, Martius Rutilus^ thinking him-
felf, though a plebeian, qualified for any poft in the re-
public, aher he had been twice confuU and once difkator,
flood candidate for this office \ and, in fpite of all oppo^
fition of the nobles, was ele£ted, with Cn. Manlius, a
^hectitfor- patrician. The commons, willing to give luftre to an
^l^thTu'^ office to which a plebeian had .ju(t been promoted, Ovi-
biianu '' n^s> ^"^ ^^ *^^'^ tribunes, propofed a law, depriving the
confuls of the prerogative of filling up the fenate, and
lodging this power in the cenfors. The law pafied ; and,
what is very extraordinanry, this important change was
made in the republic without the leaft difturbance. The
cenforfliip being now open to the plebeians, the patri*
cians, in order to fecure the confulate to themfelves, and
prevent the Licinian law from being put in execution,
prevailed upon the confuls to name a dictator to prefide
at the next cle£lion, imagining that he would be more
refpefted in Ithe comitia, and have a greater influence
over the centuries, than the confuls. The perfon raifed
to this dignity was Fabius Ambuftus, a man diftinguifhed
by his birth, his employments, and his perfonal merit.
He had been thrice conful, and honoured with a triumph.
He chofe for general of the horfe the famous Servilius
Ahala, a man not inferior to himfelf ; but notwithftand-
ing thefe precautions, M» Popilius Lxnas, a plebeian, who
had been twice conful, was promoted to this dignity. His
colleague, L. Cornelius Scipio, falling fick foon after his
eleSion, the plebeian conful, to the great mortification bf
the nobility, became fole general of the Roman troops'*.
The Gauls The Gauls having entered Latium, and laid wafte the
gnter La- country, were advancing towards Rome; Popilius there-
uum a- fQj.g Qrjej.g(i levies to be made ; and fo great a number of
foldicrs enlifted themfelves on this occaiion, that two ar-
mies were immediately raifed, one to guard the city, under
the command of M. Valerius Poplicola, who was then
praetor, and the firft in that employment who was feen at
the head of an army. Popilius niarched with the reft of
the troops to ftop the progrefs of the Gauls, who, upon
"" his firft appearance, offered him battle; bvt Popilius,

who was well acquainted with their temper, and there-
fore willing to let their firft heat abate, kept within his
camp. The Gauls, thinking the Romans afraid,' attacked
them while they were raifing their works; but were re*

^Liv. ibid. cap. as,

pulfed

Tife Roman Hijloryl

pulfed tvith great lofs. They returned, however, the
fame day to the charge ; ai>d, in the beginning of the fe-
cond attack, Popilius, expofing himfelf too much^ was
Wounded with a javelin, and carried out of the field.
This accident fufpended the ardour of the Romans ; but
as foon as their general appeared again, - their courage re*
vived. They drove the Gauh into the plain, and there,
drawing up in the form of a wedge, penetrated into the
main body of the enemy, and obliged them to retire with
precipitation. The general did not think proper to pur-
fue the fugitives; but having 'taken and plundered their
camp, led back to Rome his vi£);orious army, enriched
with the fpoils of the conquered enemy. He was decreed
a triumph at his return, which was deferred till he had re*
covered of his wound. As his colleague Scipio continued
like^Vife indifpofed, the fenate defired the two confuls to
name a diftator to prefide at the approaching eleflion.
In compliance with this requeil, they named L. Furius
Camillas, fon of the great Camillus, to that dignity^ who
appointed P. Cornelius Scipio to be general of the horfc.
Thefe two patricians ufed all their intereft to make the
eledlion fall only on men of their order, and carried their
point ; for Camillus was chofcn one of the confuls, and
Appius Claudius, furnamed CraiTus, another patrician,
was appointed his colleague •.

In the beginning of their confulate, the Gauls, who had
fled for refuge to the hills of Alba, appeared again in
great numbers on the fea-coaft of Latium; and at the.
lame time fome Greeks, from what part Livy does not de-
termine, made a defcent on the coaft-, which the Gauls
were plundering. The latter, jealous of their booty, op*
pofed the Greeks at their landing, and obliged them to
retire to their fhips ; however, they continued hovering,
about the coaft, while the Gauls laid wafte and plundered
it from the mouth of the Tiber to Antium. The republic
made the neceflary preparations to bppofe their enemies j
but in the mean time Appius, one of the confuls, dying,
the whole management of the war devolved upon Camil-
lus, whofe very name was looked upon> as a good omen in
a war with the Gauls. His fir ft care was to raife a nu-
merous army, confifting of ten legit>ns, amounting to*
forty-five thoufand men. Of thefe legions he gave four to
L. Pinarius the praetor, ordering him to guard the fea-
coaft againft the Greeks ; two he left to defend the city.

341

Defeated
by Po^iliun

Latium
plundered
by the
Gaidsm

« Liv. lib. vii. cap^ 13. Appian. Celtic.

VOL.X.

and

a.^z m Roman Hiftwy.

and widi the other foar marched himrelf agamft the
Gauls ; but as he had no defign to come to a pitched bat^
de with thexiit he encamped iq the Pomptin territoiy, a
coimtqr fuU of marflies and riTeiB.

While both armies continued ina£live, a fierce Gaul,
. remarkable for his flatore, and the richneis of his armour^
challenged the braveft man in the Roman legions to fingte
combat. M. Valerius^ a legionary tribune, great grand-
fonof the famous Valerius Volufus, accepted the chal-
lenge ; and is faid to have obtained the vifkdrj hj means of
a raven, which, perching upon his helmet^ and flying in
the face of the giant during the fight, fo blinded him with
his minings, that he was eafily Tanquilhed.^ The Gauls,
defpifing the advantage Valerius had eained by the help
of a bird, crouded round the body of their dead cham-
pion, to hinder the Roman from ftripping him of his ar^
mour. The Romans at the fame time haftened to the
n^GMls affiftance of Valerius, and a battle enfaing, the Gaul<
d^taie4. ^^^ entirely defeated. Thofe who efcaped fled through
the country of the Volfci ; and entering Campania, crofl^d
the plains cf Falemum, penetrated as far as Apulia, and
retired to the coaAs of die Adriatic Sea. As for the brave
Valerius, the general rewarded him with a crown of gold,
and two oxen, a confiderable prefent at that time. He
ever after bore the name of Corvus, which figniiies a
rmven^ and his poflerity that of Corvinus ; which diftin-
guilhed this branch of the Valerian family from all the
reft'.

The conful, having thus freed Latium from the Gauls,

joined his army to that of the prxtor Pinarius, in order to

drive away the Greek pirates, who infefted the coaft j but

the obftinacy of thofe adventurers, who, though they

durft not land, continued ftill at fea, obliged him to keep

the field longer than he expe4^d ; fo that the rime for

ele&ing new confuls drawing near, he was obliged to

Yr. of Fl. nominate a di£lator(o prefide in the comitia. The perfon

Antc'cfar. ^ promoted to that dignity was the famous Manilas Tor-

^^j^ * quatus, whochofe Cornelius Coffus general of the horfc.

U. C. 41 5. As the dictator -was charmed with the exploit of Valerius,

'■■ fo much refembling his own, and had a great influence in

ManUus the eJe£tions, he prevailed with the people to choofc him

*daT^^ one of the confuls, though he was but twenty-three years

of age, and too young even to have a place in the fenate.

^Iav, Hb« vii. cap. 25, s6. Aut. Gel. lib. ix. cap. ii« Z<mar«
lib* vii. cap. 15/ '

His

^e Reman Hijlory. I43

His colleague was Popilius Lsenas, who now ciltcred upon
this office the fourth time.

While the Romans enjoyed profound peace both at
home and abroad^ under the adminiftration of thefe two
confuls, ambafiadors came from Carthage to Rome. The
Carthaginians were the firft nation the Romans were ac*
quainted with out of Italy, and with whom they entered
into an alliance. As early as the firft year after the ex- Atrtmj
pulfion of the Tarquins, when Brutus and Valerius were ^^^^ ***"*
confuls, thefe two nations had entered into a treaty, ^^^"^S'*
chiefly in relation to navigation and commerce (K).
' The treaty was now renewed, with fome alteration.
The preient confuls were fucceeded by C. Flautius Hyp^
fseus, and T. Manlius Torquatus, who had been twice
dictator, but now for the firft time conful. During their
confulate the republic enjoyed a profound peace, which
left them no room to acquire frefli glory by deeds of arms.
They therefore endeavoured to promote the public weU
fare by wife regulations ; they reduced the intereft of
money from one to half per cent, and allowed the debtors*
by paying down one fourt h of their debts, three years to
difcharge the remainder, by annual and equal payments*
A new war with the Volfci broke out during the admi*
niftration of the fucceeding confuls, Valerius Corvus, now
a fecond time conful, and C. Paetilius Libo. Valerius de-^ Satricum
feated the enemy, took from them Satricum, and burnt it, taken frem
fparing c«ily the temple of the goddcfs Matuta «. He was *'^' ^*'^^'*
honoured with a triumph, in which four thoufand cap-
tives marched before his chariot. In this confulate the
fecular games, which had been inftituted in the year of
Rome 297, were celebrated for the fecond time. The
next year's confuls, M. Fabius Dorfo, and S. Sulpiciiis
Camerinus, named L Furius Camiilus to be didator a
fecond time, on occafion of a war with a new enemy, the
Aurunci, a petty nation near the confines of Latium, on
the coaft of the Tyrrhenian fea. Furius overthrew them L* Furius
in battle, and, at his return, built a temple, which he overiArovfS
had vowed, during the aftion, to Juno Moneta (L). The '^''^«'^«»"»

year
g Lir. ibid.

(K) This treaty was yet to were more converftnt in tbe

he fccn in Polybius's time, on Latin tongue, could not, with*

the bafe of a column in the an- out much fludy and labour, un«

cient Roman language, which, derftand it.

ai that writer tellft us, was fo (L) This name had been

different from what was fpolbtn gWen to ttie queen of the Kodi

in hig time, that thofe who a little before the taking of

R a Rome

«44

f. FaUrim
dilator.

Yr. of Fl.

201O.

Ante Chr..

3x8.
U. C. 4SO.

Occafim of
the ivar
bttivetn
the Sam^
nites and
Romans,

The Roman Hiflory. '

year following^ the Romans imagining tbat the goddel^
agreeable to her name, admoniflied them by prodigies of
the impending wrath of the gods, C. Martins Rutilus,
now conful a third time, and T. Manlius Imperiofus a
fecond time, appointed P. Valerius to be didator for the
folemnization of the feftival, called Ferix Latinae.

The diftator having brought the republic to an inter-
regnum, for fome reafon not mentioned by the hiftorians,
the centuries chofe two patricians, namely, M. Valerius
Corvus a third time, and Cornelius Coflus, furnamed
Arvina. During their adminiftration a rupture happened
between the Romans and Samnites. A city, at that time
fcarce known to the Romans, fowed the feeds of difcord,
and changed the alliance between the two natrons into
implacable hatred. The Sidicini, a people of Aufonia,
on the other fide the Liris, being attacked by the Sam-
nites, and not able to defend themfelves, had recourfe to
the people of Campania, who took up arms in favour of
their opprefled. neighbours, it being their intereft to flop
the progrefs of fo powerful an enemy. Upon this pre»
tence the Samnites, having a profped of greater advan^
tages in the conqueft of the Campanians than of the Sidi-
cini, turned their arms againft the former ; and, as khcy
were an effeminate people, defeated them in two pitched
battles, and threatened to befiege the city of Capua, their
metropolis. In this diftrefs the magiftrates had recourfe
to Rome, whither they fent an embaffy to implore the
a/Tiflance of the republic ; but the fenate returned to their
huitible addrefs the following anfwer : ^* The fenate of
Rome think you worthy of their protedlion ; but we muft
have regard to our ancient friendfliip with the Samnites.
We cannot, therefore, take arms in your favour ; but we
will intreat the Samnites, o«r friends, to put an end to
their hoftilities." The Capuan deputies had hitherto
fpoken only of an alliance and confederacy with the Ro-
matis; but now, diflatisfied with the anfwer they had
received, purfuant to the powers with which they had

Rome by the Gauls. It was'
pretended, that from the tem-
ple of Juno had come a voice,
accompanied by an earthquake,
and that the voice had warned
the Romans to avert the evils
that threatened them, by fa-
crificing a fow with pig. Hence
(he was called Moneta, from

the verb monere^ to 'tvanu This
temple was built on the Capi-
tol, in the place where the
houfe of the rebellious Manlkis
formerly flood, and afterwards
became a public mint. Hence
the medaU, which wer* fbmp- .
ed for current coin in trade,
were called moneta^ or money.

been

The Roman Htjiory. 245

bceninvefted, made this farther declaration : " Since the The Cam-
Romans fcruple to attack openly the SamniteS) contiary to pamans^
the faith of their treaties, let them, at leaft, not be afraid difireffed
to defend their own property againft the unjuft ufurpations ^^^^'^**»*
of their enemies : the people of Campania, the city of Ca- "render '
pua, our lands, our temples, every thing we have, divine tkemfel'vet
and human, we abiblutely give and furrender to you. and their
From this time, therefore, all our loffcs willbe yoiirs^." eountfyto
This donation in due form,, by ambafladors authorized j-^ ^'^* *
to make it, was of great weight with the fenate. They
did not think their alliance with the Samnites obliged
them to refufe it j and therefore, without delay difpatch-
ed ambafladors to intreat the . Samnites* as friends, to
fpare a province which belonged to Rome. . In cafe the
Samnites could not be prevailed upon by thefc gentle me-
thods, the ambaffadors were dire&ed to give them notice,
in the name of the people and fenate of Rome, to quit the
country immediately. But the Samnites, a proud and
wavlike people, were fofar from being intimidated by the
majefty'of tiie Roman name, that their maglArates fent
for the commanders oftheir troops, and .4>rdered them, in
the prefence of the Roman ambafi^adors^ to go inftantly
and ravage Campania. This infult filled ibe fenate and
peoplei with indignation. All other bufinefs^was laid Wardf
afide, Jthat they might apply themfelires wholly ;to the dared
preparations for a war, which was declared wita all the ^^i^Jf^^
ceremonieb inftituted by Numa on fuch occafions. Two **'""'*'•
armies being raifed, it was the lot of Valerius to march
with one into Campania, while Cornelius, with the other^
carried the war into Samnium. The ftrefs of the war lay
at firft on Valerius, who pofted his troops, on Mount
Gaurus, in Campania, and continued in that advantageous
fituation, . till his men, by frequent (kirmifhing with the
Samnites, had learnt their way of managing arms. He
afiembled his troops $ and having encouraged them, in a
long fpeech, not to be afraid of a new enemy, to remem-
ber their ancient valour, and to gain the honours of a
triumph for one defcended from the great Poplicola,
marched out of his camp, and drew up his men in battalia*
As t\i€ two armies were pretty equal in numbers, the vic-
tory was long difputed, without any confiderable advan-
tage on either fide. The Roman «avalry attempted in vain
to break the enemy's battalions. Valerius feeing their

^ Liv. ibid. cap. 29— '3it

R 3 mif^

24^

nites ag-
feaitdky
f^alirius.

Cornelius
brings his
army into
great
danger I

bkt is defi»
nferedhf
Decius
Mus.

The Roman Hi/hry;*

tnifcarriage, put himfelf at the liead of the infantry, md^
encouraging the legi(nis to follow bis e^amplc» threw
himfelf into the midft of the Samnite cohorts* wod^ being
followed by his legionaries^ made a dreadful havock.
The dead lay in heaps round the enemy's ftandarda; yet
tbeir cohorts kept their ground, refbWed to defend them-
felires to the lafb. At length Yaiecna ordered the Roman
cavalry to attack the enemy in flank ; but ^Ky ftood the
(hock till night .put an ^d to the conii&. . After the
battle the Romans owned, that they had never ei^gaged a
more intrepid enemy ; and would not have known that
they had gained the yifkory, had not tbe Samnkes de<.
ierced their camp in the night, and abandoned, it to the
conquerors ^

While Valerius thus fignalizrd bis valour ii| Campa*
nia, his colleague Cornelius, having imprudently left his
camp, which was advantageonfiy pofted near Saticola,
on the confines of Samnium, marched: through a moun*
tainous country into a foreft, out of which tbece was but
one pafTage, through a deep valley, which, as well as the
woody was lined with tbe enemy's forces; fo that he
found himfelf, when it was not in his power to altec Us
inarch, furrounded by the Samnites. This diftrefs tfalew
the conful into the utmoft-conftematioa; but it £artsifi^
ately happened, that he had a brav^ officer axnopg his
troops, Wno extricated hint from the danger* Tbis wae
the famous P. Decius Musy as yet only a legionary tri^
bune, who aft;ef>rardsib nobly €gnalizcd his::169« for fait
country. Tb^ prudent trihune, oUiaming an ' eminence
at a diftance, which commandsd the camp of the Sann
nites, and had been negleded by them^ proppfed to the
eonfol, that he might be <ktached with a fpaall body ta
take pofieffion of it^ The general aqiproved of the defigUt
and detached a. fmall body of timps, under the command
of Decius 'j who, taking his way trough th^ wood, coa.<^
cealed his march fo welU that the enemy did not difcover
him till be was near the poft^ which he was going to
feize ; and then tbe fight ot the Romans cUmbing* up the
rock wa$ fuch a furpriae to them, that they could come
to no determinatton } being in fufpenfe, whether they
fhould attack the conful, or I>eeius«. In the mom time
the Roman general, taking advantage of this irrelblution,
inarched out o( the valley without molefiatxon. Decius
did not dpubt, but the enemy would att^ick him on hi$

I I;iv. ibid cap. 3»i Zh

W",

The Roman Hijhfy. ^47

hilly or {but np the arenues to it j but when he perceir*
edy that they neither came to attack biiDy nor attemptc4
to furround him, and cut off his retreat, he took a view
of the avenues to the hill, and placed centineFs at them,
with orders to return filentlyto the main body, at the
feCond watch of the night. When, at that boor, all bis
men were re-afiemhied, be laid before them the neceffitjr
of Icating the place where tbey were ; and pnt it to the
▼otey whetbtr, tbey ihoBld ftay for day-light^ or march
off immediately, and farce a way tbroogh the enemy,
\irhiie tbey . Inhere aileep^ The latter propofal being vm*
verfally approved, Dedns pnt bimfelf at the bead ^ bia
troops^ and marched down the rock in great filence.
They had got half-way tbrdngh the enenyy's camp, when
a Roman foldier, ftriking bis foot againi^ the bockler of
a SamnitC) awaked a centinel, who gave the alarm in that
quarter. The Samnitcs immediately ran, to arms, not
knowiftig whether it was Decius and his troop, the con*
fut and his army» or fome Saranite of tfae camp, who
had difturbed Hbeit reft. In the midft of this oniverfal
conf tifion^ Decius ordered his men to give a great fiiout.;
wbigb doubled the cpnfterliation of the Samnices, whife
the Romans gained the plain, and made their eicape^ none
of the fiailxnites daring to fcdlow or attack theni*

When Decius approached the confurs camp, as it wsis
not yet day, he ordered his men to halt, telling them,
that they deferred to enter the camp hi a liiore glorious
manner, than in filence and darknefs. Next morning the
whole army marched out to meet that brave troop, which
bad fsTed their lives at the peril of their own, and con^
du&ed them in triumph to the general's tent, who, bail-
ing fummoned 9II his foldiers to hear bis harangue, was
beginning to make the panegyric of Decius; but the
brave tribune, rather choofing to give his general good
advice^ than to hear bis own praifes, advifed him to march » ' '''
away immediately, am) furprife the camp of the enemy,
who, in all probability, had fent out detachments in queft
of him. This advice wa$ followed \ the Romans fur- AamtpltK^
prifed the Samnites rambling about the fields, and pur- **^^*^
fued them to their can^p^ which the conful took andplun- ^^^^^^^^
dered, after having cut ifi piece$ above thirty thoufand of
the enemy.

When Decius returned to the camp, the eonful W^ Dithtsn*
fumed his panegyric ; but as words were not a fufficieat '^f ^^
acknowlegement of his merit, he honoured him with all ^^^ ""^^
the military rewards that were ever given to a fubaltem. **^'*
. R4 Befides

248 ^l^^ Roman ITtftoty*

Befidcs a crown of gold, he had a prefcnt of a hundred
oxen, and a white bull with gilt horns. As for the fol-
diers of his detachment, the conful afEgned them a dou*-
blc quantity of corn during life, and gave each of them
two faga, or military habits- The legions likewife figna-
lized their gratitude Jto their deliverer, by putting on his
head an obfidional crown, which it was cuftomary among
the Romans to beftow on a general, who relieved them
when beficged. This crown was made of the grafs grow-
ing in the place, and called corona obfidionalis. And
now the detachment, which Decius had brought fafe
out of the danger into which be had led them, think-
ing themfelves obliged to beftow fomc mark of diftinc-
tion on their le^er, crowned him with a crown of oak-
leaves, which %as called the civic crown, and thought
the moft honourable of all military rewards. Thus, load-
ed with three crowns at once, he offered up the white bull
in facrifice to Mars, by way of thankfgiving, and diftri-
buted the hundred oxen among the companions of his
danger, and fharers of his glory. The reft of the legions
made, likewife, a prefent to the company who had igU
lowed Decius, confifting of fome pounds of meal, and
meafures of wine K

The campaign did jiot end with this viflrory. The
Samnites, who had been routed by Valerius, having raif-
ed new forces, appeared before SuefTula, a town fituated
between Nola and Capua. Valerius haftencd to the re^
lief of the SueiTulani ; and, in order to deceive the ene-
my, encamped within as narrow a compafs as he could,
hoping they would attack him in his entrenchments ; but
the Samnites, judging that the Romans muft fooh want
provifions, kept quiet in their camp. Thus both armies
continued fome time inaftive ; but at length the Sam-
nites, being diftrefled for want of provifions, Valerius
The Sam- attacked their camp, while the greater part of their forces
niusde- ^^^^ difpcrfcd about the country in queft of neceifaries,
a^ainby forced it, and made a great flaughter, while his cavalry
KzUrius. -chafed the feyeral detachments which were foraging. Wc
are told, that the Roman foldicrs brought to their general
above forty thoufand of the enemy's bucklers ; the Sam-
nites having thrown them away, that they might not in-
cumber them in their flight. - One hundred and twenty
ftandards were likewife taken from the enemy in this ac-i-
tion. Both confuls returned to Rome, vhere they were

k j^iv. lib, vii. cap. 35, 36. Aug, Gel. lib. v. cap. 6,

honourc4

*j

The Roman H^oty. 249

honoured with a triumph. The fucceffes of this glorious
campaign gave a new luftre to the republic, both among
the neighbouring and diftant nations. The Falifci changed
the truce, which they had made with the Romans, into
a treaty of alliance. The Latins, who had taken up arms,
with defign to employ them againft the republic, if fhc -
had been worfted in this war, turned their hoftilities
againft the Peligni, a Samnite nation, as it were to aflift
the Romans, whom* they really had intended to betray.
And laftly, the Carthaginians fent to compliment the re-
public on her fuccefs, and made a prefent of a crown of
gold, of twenty pounds weight, to Jupiter Capitolinus,
by way of thankfgiving for her viftories. This year end-
ed with a cenfus, by which it appeared that the num-
ber of Romans, able to bear arms, amounted to one hun-
dred and (ixty thoufand. The ceremony clofcd with a
luftrum, which was the twenty-fecond fince its firft infti-
tution by king Servius.

The following year C. Martius Rutilus was elefted -the
fourth time to the confulate, and with him (^ Servilius
Ahala. The latter encamped in the neighbourhood of
Rome, while the former marched into Campania, where
he found a general depravation of manners in fome co-
horts of Roman {bldiers, who had been left in Capua all
winter. He even difcovered, that they had entered into Somi !{«•
a plot among themfelves, to drive the natives out of Cam- «««>'-

?ania, and to feize that delicious Country for themfelves. ^'^^/il^T
'^o difappoint this fcheme, he contrived to fend away the ^llfili^
moft mutinous, without treating them 'difgracefully, or Camfaala.
letting his defign appear. At length the foldiers, fufpedl-
inghe was aware of their plot, and being alarmed with
the apprehenfion of puniftiment, one whole dohort de-
fertedj and, pofting themfelves advantageoufly near
Anxur, in a narrow pafs» between the fea on one fide, and
high mountains on the other, were foon joined by great
numbers of malcontents from the city and the camp. As
they were ftill at a lofs for a leader, they furprifed by
night, in his bed, one 1^. Quinftius, an excellent com-
mander, who had retired fome time before from public
life to his farm, and forced him to go with them, as their
general, to Rome. Their approach fo terrified the city,
that a dictator was named, to afiemble forces, and oppofe
thefe mutineers. The perfon appointed was Valerius f^^l^iux
Corvus, who came to a parly with them ; and, being ex- ^^^J'
tremely beloved by the foldiery, prevailed with them to agalnk

However,

250 ' Ti^ Roman Hifi(^»

^heyfuk^ However, the rebels^ beCdes a general parJotiy vbicli

«ur. v^as granted by the fenate^ and confirmed by the people

in comitia, obtained many concei£on$^ which Certainly

would not have been made, if the fenate had not dreaded

their number and difcipline.

The Romans, by tbefe condefcenfions to the rebels, loft
Frivirmm credit among their neighbours. Priremum revoked, but
rev9ltj, was foon reduced bv C. Plautius Hypfsens, now the fie-*
cond time conful. His colleague, L. Emilias, Uid waii^
the country of the Samnites, who were fo weakened bj
the two late overthrows^ that they dorft jiot appear in the
field i but fttcd for peace, and an alliance with Rome*
Thefe being obtained, they turned their arms once more
againft the Sidictni, who, being refufed fuccour^ even
7ki SIM" ^pon the terms of being fubjecc to the republtc, g^ve
tint and thcmfelves up to the Latins, already in arms to reoov^sr
Campa- t}^£|f independence. The Campanians^ forgetting the be*
S# JL«/S/. "^^^^ *^y ^^^ received f jcim the Romans, and tjb^ir en-
gagements with the republic^ followed ^ es9m|^e 0f the
Sidicini, and joined the Latins. An army, f»rnHi4 ^
thefe three united nations, entered Saipantum, laying w^ifle
all before them ^ but not being able Uy bring the Samnilci
to a battle^ foon retired for want of provifions. Th^
retreat gave the^Samnilea an opportunity of fending aior
. baifadors to Rome, to complain of her. fufiering tjbie I^
tins and Campani^nsji her allies and fubje^b^ to commk
hofiiiities in Damninm. The ienaie iodf ed did not 9jf^
prove of the hcIUlities the. Latins bad committedi Imt
were afhamed to , own, that th^y hfM ^9 longer power
over them. The conful Plaatiu^ therefore, in the name
of the fenate, returned the following anfwer: " The
Campanians are our fubje£ls; and we will, therefore, ob-
lige them to let you live in peace. But as for the Latins,
our treaty of alliance with them 4oe6 not reftri£k them
from engaging in. any war without pur confent $ and th^tCt
fore we can proipife nothing in relation to them.*'

This anfwer left the Sam nites in a melancholy uncei:<^
fainty, ofiended the Campanians, and, as it feemed to
betray a fenfe of weaknefs in the Romans, raffed the fpi-
rit^ of the Latins to fuch a degree, that they im^ined
they could not now depiand any thing which the Romans
would dare to refufe. They fecretty combined with the
. Campanians to ,attack the Romans, though, in appear**
ancev their preparations were only ^ainft the Samnites.
$qt the fenate, informed of their intentions, lefolved t0
anticipate their defigns, and, wjth this view, to bjing on

the

^he Roman Htjiory. 25.1

the eleJHon of new confuls before the ufual time. Ao

icordinglyj they oblige^ the prefent confuls to abdics^te ^

bat feme religious fcruples being raifed concerning the

I })oldin|; of the comitia by conful$ depofed before the cx<-

!>iratioa of their year^ the government was reduced to an
nterregnum; and two prefidencs^ Valerius Corvus and
14. FabiuSy were named to govern in the mean time fuc<*
CcflSvely, each five days in his turn« While the latter
was in office^ the people were afiembled in the Campus
Martins \ and it being pf the utmoft importance to choofe
two able men to fit at the helm, the centuries pitched
upon the famous Manlius Tofquatus and Decius Mus,
tbe former a patrician, and the latter a plebeian. The
republic promifed herfelf a continued feries of profperity
under the adminiftratipn of thefe two illuftrious ma*
dftrates* Torquatus was a man of inflexible feverity in
(porting, military difcipline \ Decius had a more hui-
mane temper \ and both colleagues were equally famous
for pietT towards the gods, and a love for their country-
In tbe oeginning pf their confulate, Alexander, king of ^fixandgr^
^jeus, and broSveJf tp Olympias^ tb(: mother of Alex- ^*? ^
aider thp Great, arrived in Italy, on tbe invitation of Jm^int§
tke Tarentine^, to aifift tben^ agamft the Brutians. This itmi^^
prince hoped to b<ive fubdued all Italy as eafily as his
nephew bad reduced Ferfia ; but was not fo fucceiiaf ul ia
hit fcbeme^ having to contend with more warlike narioni^
He gained,, indeed, fome fmall advantages over the Lu- and con-
camans and Brotians at his firft coining ; but foon found dudes am
k neceflary to court the friendOiip of the more powerful Stance
nations of Italy, particularly of the Rickmans, with whom ^'^'^ '^
he eoncluded an alliance*. A^aww.

After this tranfaQion, the two confuls made it their Ten of
yhx>\^ bufinefs to prevent the. revolt of the Latins ; and '^^ ^^m
ttc firft ftcp they took for that purpoie, was to fummoa ^j'^y**"'
tea^f the Latin. chiefs to appear at Rome, and give an ^^J*
accouttt of their preparations for war. The Juatin coun-*
cil fent one L.. Annins, 2 man of great credit among
them, with ten more, to Rome, to demand, as a condi«
tion of renewing the alliance between the two nations^
that one of the confuls, and half of the feiiate, fliould bd
for the future choferi out of the Latins. This demand
Was rejeQed with indignation, and war immediately de-
^ed. The confuls, having formed two armies, confifl> rheew*
iftg entirely of Romans, marqhed through the territories fulsmarek

eigainfi thg

^ Llv« lib. viii. caf , », 3. Joftin. lib. xii. cap. a« Latms.

252 5*^^ Roman Hijlory*

of the Marfi, entered the country of the Peligni, and en-
camped in Campania at the foot of Mount Vefuvius, at
a fmall diftance from the enemy's camp. The night be-
fore the battle, which foon enfued, both confuls are faid
to have dreamt the fame dream. A man of a gigantic
iftature, and majeftic mien, appeared to them, and told
them, that the viflory was decreed to that army of the
two, whofe general fliould devote himfelf to the Dii
Manes. When it was day, the two confuls commani-
cated their dreams to each other. The arufpices made
fuch difcoveries in the entrails of the Viiftims, as con-
firmed the dreams. It was therefore agreed in a council
of war, that Manlius fhould commiand the right wing,
and Decius the left, in the enfuing battle ; and that he,
whofe troops firft gave way, (hould devote himfelf to
fave his country, and rufh ' into the midft of the ene-
my's battalions. In the fame couricilof war, con&fting
of the two confuls,' all the •lieutenant-generate, and le-
gionary tribunes, kwad likewife/deteymined, that th4 iin-
cient difcipHne fh6uld*b'e ftrifttt dbftfhred in the prefefit
'. war, and that no ofEcer or foldier fhould dare to^-fi^t
the' enemy witliout cx^^refs orders** or out of his rank,
upon pain of death. This regulation was- made, becaofe
the enemy they were now to engage with fpoke the fame
iariguage, werrfe armed after the fame manner, obferyed
the feme way of 'fighting (M), and were pexfonally ac-

(M) The order of battle, in rants, and the main ffa-eagth of
which the Flomsuis forti\ed their the a^^y^ The principes vfere
^ 'army before an engagement, in armed with fwords, anS^^.the
• - ' • ' Manlius's time, wa? as fol- triariij with javelins called pila,
lows; they formed the whole, Jji after-ages, thehaftati, prin-
body of their troops into three "cipes,' and triarii feem.to have
lines, diftingutftied by the' ,borie much the fame arms*
hames of haftati, princij>es. At the time of this war with
. and triarii. The ha^aii, who : the liatins, there was a Ipaco
compofed the fii»ft line, wcre^ of 'fifty feet between the firft
fb uyled fram the. javelins and fecond lines, and of one
called hafts, whicb^ they. bore, hundred ie^ between the fe«
The principes, wbo, ipade the cond \and: the third : and as
fecond. line, were .fo called, ac-> fpaces were left between the
<^ording to Varro, becaufe, in lines, fo .^kewife between the
' more ancient times,, they^ w^re different manipuli or compa-
placed in the front of the bat- nies of each line, thefe com-
tle, and began the attack, panics being divided from each
The triarii were fo named, be- other by fpaces thirty feet
caufe they made the third line : wide ; fo that in a line of ten
they were commonly vete* manipuli there were nine of

ihcfil

The Roman Hijhry*

qaainted with moft of the Roman officersi under whom
they had fcrved in former wars ". \

iA Liv< lib. viii* cap, ۥ

25S

thefc fpaoes. Put thefe open-
iogs were hot fo difpofed) as
to yield a direct pafTage co the
enemy, from the front of the
army to the rear. The ma-
nipuli of the fecond line flood
behind the openings of the
firH, and the manipuli of the
third behind thofe of the fe-
,cond; fo that the order of. the
whole refembled that of trees,
called by gardeners quincunx.
When the baftati happened to
be overpowered, they retired
in good order, ftill facing the
enemy, towards the prlncipes,
fell into the intervals of their
tanks, and, together with them,
renewed the fight. If the ha-
Itati and principes, thus join-
ed, were too Weak to fuftain
the fury of the onfet, they
£eU back into the wider inter-
▼als of the triarii, and then all •
together made another effort, .
much more vigorous than any
before. If this alTault proved
ineffe£tual, the battle was en-
tirely loft as to the foot, there
being no farther referves. The
whole fecret of the Roman art
of war lay in difpofing their
armies after this manner, and
leaving thefe fpaces open in the
firft and fecond lines. It was
almoft impoiTible that this me-
thod ihould prove unfucceiT-
ful, if duly obferved ; for for-
tune, in each engagement,
muft have failed, them three
different times, before they
could be routed. As for the
Roman cavalry, they were al-
ways pofted at the' wings of the

army, and fought fometimes
on foot, fometimes on horfe-
back, as occafion required, like
our dragoons. At this time
they were not numerous among
the Romans, there being but
twelve hundred horfe in an
army of twenty thoufand men«
As to the flatiqns of the com-
manders, the confuls and lieu-
tenant-generals took their pofts
in the middle of the fpace
between the principes and
the triarii, where the Roman
eagles flood. The legati and
tribunes were ufually pofted
near them, unlefs the former
were ordered to command the
wings, or the others fome par-
ticular part of the army. The
centurions fiood every man at
the head of his century or
company. The common fol-
diers were placed in feveral
ranks, at the difcretion of the
centurions, according to their
age, ftrength, and experience,
every man having three feet
fijuare allowed him to manage
his arms in. The Latin troops
being drawn up in the fame
manner as the Roman,' it was
probable, that the centurions
of the two armies would en-
counter each other.* But the
Romans not being men of fo
much bodily ftrength as the
Latins, Livy tells us, that the
centurions of the Roman le-
gions obtained leave of the
confuls to have each of them
a fub-centurion to defend and
aififthim (i).

(i) Liv. lib. viU< cap«S.

jj^ ne Roman Htflory.

n^cMfuts Ithappciicd, foon. after thcfc orders were prOclaiiftcdj
fin biiug that young Manlius, the conful's fon, being lent at the
tkaUenged jj^^d of a detachment of horfe to o^ferve the enemy's
kll i^""* motions, met an advanced fquadron of the enemy, com-
mailded by Geminius Melius, who, knowing the confal's
fon, challenged him to a fiiigle combat* Manlius, |nqued
in point of honour, and forgetting the late orders of the
generals, accepted the chaUenge; fo that both parties
, drew back, and left the field open for the two champions.
They rode full fpeed againft each other, and Manlius's
lance only glanced upon his adverfary's helmet. Then
the two, combatants wheeling about^ returned to the
charge, when Manlius wounded Metius's horfe on the
bead with his lance. The violence of the blow made the
horfe rear, and the fuddennefs of the (hock threw Metius
to the ground. He endeavoured to raife himfelf with his
buckler and lance, but Manlius gave him fo violent a
thrullinthe throat, that he drove the point of his lance
cut at his fide ; and, having ftripped him of his fine
armour, returned to the camp full of glory for his viftory,
but uncertain of the reception he {hould meet with from
theconfuls. He pafTed triumphantly through the midft
of the army, and, going ftrait to bis father's tent, ac«
colled him thus : ^^ Father, I have followed your example ;
I was challenged, like you, by an infuJting enemy ; and
here I lay his fpoils at your feet." The confnl, at thrfe
, words, turning his back upon his fon, ordered the troops
to be immediately aflembled, and in their prefence made
How n- him this reply : " Since you, Titus Manlius, have been
I'-'T'^A^ fo ralh as t© nght the enemy without my orders, you muft
isjather* gxpi^^g yQ^J. crime. You have conouered, and therefore
deferve to be rewarded. But your difobedience muft be
puniflicd with the utmoft fcverity. How could you de*
fpife the authority both of a father and a conful? How
could you break through that difcipline, to the iiri£l ob-
fervance of which Rome has. hitherto owed her preferva-
tion ? Hard is the neceifity you reduce me to, when you
force me either to forget that I am a father, or that I am
a judge. But neither your grief nor mine fliall prevail
over the' fidelity I owe my country. We ihall be a me-
lancholy example to pofterity, but a wholefome precedent
to the Roman youth. In you I lofe a fon endeared to me
by the tender affe£lion of a father, and by your late vic-
tory. But, alas \ fmce I muft either eftaoliih the confu-
lar authority by a rigorous aft of juftice, or weaken it by
your impunity, die as- bravely as you have conquered. If

you

' The Rjoman Hiftoty. 255

youtiavc but one drop of the Manlian blood in your veins,
you will not rcfufe to repair the breach you have made in
the military difciplinei by undergoing the punifliment due
to vour oiFence.'' This laid, he firft crowned his fon as
Tioof, and then ordered die lifters to tie him to a ftake.

All prefent wer^ ftuhned with the fentence, as if it
had been pronounced againft themfekes ; and when the
lifter lifted up his ax to ftrike off the young conqueror's ^^ ^«'if»
head, an outcry was raifed by the army, as if the ftrokc t"^^^
had been to fall upon each officer and foldier prefent. ^^^f
However, they offered no violence to the conful or th^ /e^^^ of
•lidlor; but, feeing the young man's head ftruck ofF, and hisg^nentL
his blood guQi out, vented their rage againft the general
in imprecations and inveftives. They covered the dead
body with the fpoils of his conquered enemy, and expreff-
cd ttitir affliction by the moft pompous obfequies they could
perform for him in the field. It is fcarce to be imagined
how tradable this feverity of Manlius made his army for
the future : his orders were obferved, and put in execu-
tion, with all poifible exaftnefs, which greatly contribut-
ed to the viftory he gained a few days after".

When the day of battle came, both armies drew up In
the |)lains at the foot of Mount Vefuvius, in the road
leading to the town of Vcfcris. As they were equal in
numbers, and uniform in their way of fighting, the onfet
was furious on both fides, neither party^ for fome time,
gaining any advantage over the other. At length the left
wing of the Romans, commanded by Decius, being vi-
joroufly preffed by the Latins, gave ground, fo that the
qrft line was forced to retire, without turning their backs
to the enemy, into the intervals of the fecond line. This DictMt
difadvantage. reminded Decius of the agreement with M*^^^^-
his colleague. He therefore called out to Valerius, the ^/l^'*'
pontifex inaximus, to perform the ceremony of confecra-
tion, that he might devote himfelf in due form. Vale-
rius ordered him to quit his military habit, and put on
the robe he wore in the fenate. Theri he covered his
head with a veil, ordered him to put forth his hand under
his robe to his chin, 'and, ftanding with both feet upon
his javelin, to repeat after him the following words : ** O
Janus, Jupiter, Mars, Romulus, Bellona, and ye Lares
and Novenfilcs (N) I AH ye heroes who dwell in heaven,

and
■ Liv. ni>. viii. cap. 7. Flor. lib. i. cap. 4. Zonar. lib. vi. cap. i •^

. (N) This word Novenfilet are of opinion, that it fignifies
» varioufly interpreted : fome the new -created gods, orthofe

whof«

%^6 ^he Romart HiJIdry.

and all ye gods who rule over us and our enemies, efpe^
cially ye gods of hell I I honour you, invoke you, and
humbly Intreat you to profper the arms of the Romans^
and to traiisfL-r all fear and terror from them to their ene-
mies \ and I do, for the fafety of the Roman people, and
their legions, devote myfelf, and, with myfelf, the army
and au3^iliaries of the enemy, to the infernal godsj and
the godd<ffs of the earth." Decius, having finished this
prayer , ordered his liQors to . acquaint his colleague
that he had devoted himfelf for the fafety of the army.
Then, tucking up his robe, and girding it round him^ he
mounted his horfe, and rode full fjpeed into the thickeft
of the enemy's battalions. Both the Romans and Latins
were furprifed at this fight. The conful broke through
the firft line of the enemy's army, and penetrated to the
centre, the Latins being terrifiea, and, as it were, than-
derftruck at this new fpeSacle. At length, recovering
from their furprife, they difcharged a (hower of darts at
isJUun* the devoted conful, who fell to the ground with num-
ber lefs wounds.

The death of the conful gave new courage to the Ro-
mans. Thofe who had retired, returned to the charge
with redoubled vigour. However, the Latins ftill kept
their ground, and in fome places had the advantage.
When news were brought to Manlius of his colleague's
death, he (hed fome tears, giving him the praifes he de-
ferved i then he ordered a body-.of volunteers to advance
into the firft line, referving the triarii, or thofe of the
third line, who conftituied the main ftrength of the army,
to the laft extremity. The Latins, being hard prefled by
thcfe frelh troops, and taking them for the Roman triarii,
ordered their own triarii to advance j and this miftake de-
termined the viftory, hitherto doubtful, in favour of the
Romans. For the Latins being exhaufted, and having for
the meft part broken or blunted their weapons in repulfing
the Romans once more, when they thought themfelves '
furc of the viftory, the Roman triarii, by order of Man-
lius, appeared; and having raifed a loud fhout, which

whofe woHhip had been lately Vefta, .Minerva, Ferouia,

introduced in Rome. Others Concord, Good Faitli, For-

pretcnd it fignified the nine tunc, Chance, and Health.

Mufes. Varro, by the word Some read Novfcnfidcs inflead

Novenfilcs, underftands the of Novenfiles, and underilaod

nine deities brought to Rome thereby another kind of gods,

by the Sabines ; namely, Lara, who prefided over novelties.

difmayed

army rout*
ed with
great

The koman Uiftpry. ^57

difmayed the enemy, fell upon them, while fatigued, ne Catin
with fuch fury, that fcarce i fourth part of their army re^
mained alive. The Samnites, for whofe fake this battle
was fought, had nofhare in it, but continued in battalia,
at fome diftance froiii the Roman army, at the foot of
Mount Vefuvitis, and only ferved to keep the enemy a
little in fear '.

The Latins, who efcaped the flau^hter^ fled to Mintur-
tix, a little above the mouth of the Liris. There Numi-
cius, their general, by caufing letters to be fpread about
in Latium, and the country of the Volfci, reprefenting
the flight of the Latins only as an honourable retreat, drew
many to his campi who had not been prefent'at the late
adion* Having thus formed a new army, he took the
road to Capua, being determined to try the fortune of
arms once more with the Romans, and hoping to furprife
them with his fudden return. But Manlius met him on
his march, at a village called Trifana, in the neighbour-
hood of SinueflTa, gave him a fecond overthrow, and then
entering Latium, laid it wafte without oppofition. All
the Latin cities furrendered at difcretion, as did Priver-
num, in the territory of the Volfci* All Campania, with
Capua its capital, was brought into fubje<^ion to its
former mailers. The conful difpoflefled the Campahians^
Latins, and Privernates, of their lands, and diftributed
them among the people of Rome. However, the Lauren*
tini in Latium, .and the Campaqian knights, who were
the flower of the nobility of the country, and had not
been concerned in the revolt, were continued in their
pofl!eflions and privileges ; nay, thefe faithful knights, to
the number of fixteen hundred, were made citizens of
Rome, but without right of fufFrage : and, that this grant
might be the more authentic, it was engraved on brafs,
and fixed up in the temple of Caflorand Pollux p. An
annual penfion of forty-five denarii, that is, one pound
nine (hillings fterling, was alfo affigned to each, out of the
public revenues of Campania. It is not to be doubted,
that Manlius, after fo many fignal conquefts, obtained the
honours of a triumph, notwithftanding Livy's filence on
this head.

He foon after fcUficfc ; and, as a Roman general was
Wanted to oppofe fome frefh incurfions of the Antiates, he
nominated L. Papirius Craffus, then praetor, to the di^a-
torfliip ; who, having appointed L. Papirius Curfor for

Are again
routed.

7ke Latins
and Cam-
panians
fubmit*

* Liv. lib*, viii. cap. 9.
Vol. X.

P Idem. ibid. cap. xi.
S mafier

258

4'ke Latins
revolt.
Pubblius
gatui an
advantage
over them.

•*rhe Latins
defeated
by the neiti
conJuU.

neirfate.

The Roman Hificty:

matter of the horfe, kept his troops fome months in tbe
enemy's country upon free quarter, and then returned to
Rome, to prefide at the eleftion of new confuls, when Q^
Publilius, a plebeian, and Tib* iSmilius, a patrician,
were chofen. In their adminiftration tl^e Latins revolted^
and formed two armies, l^ublilius, fucceeding in an ex-
pedition againft rme them, was honoured with a triumph ;
but -iEmilius, ha -ing only gained flight advantages over
the other, was refufed that honour ; a repulfe which fo
incenfed him, that no tribune of the people ever inveighed
more bitterly againft the nobility than this patrician con-
ful. Thefenate, to prevent difturbances, ordered him to
name a di(^ator. j£milius obeyed; but, in revengCf
named his plebeian colleague, who appointed Brutus Scae-
va, another plebeian, to be general of the horfe. The
di£lator, entirely devoted to the people, employed all his
power and influence to eftablifli their rights on a folid
foundation. This aim he effefted by three laws, which
he either made or revived. The firft imported, that the
decrees made by the people, at the requcft of their tri-
bunes, fhould bind all the fbbje£ls of the republic. The
fecond, that, for the future, the laws which were to be
pafl!ed by the centuries (hould be firft approved by the fe-
nate, fubjeft to the approbation of the people. Hitherto
the comitia ufed to pafs the laws firft, and the fen?ite had
a power of accepting or rejecting them. The third law
enafted, that one of the cenibrs fliould always for the fu-
ture be a plebeiaR «. The fenate, to pique Jblmilius, who
was very tender of his honour, ordered the next year's
confuls, L. Furius Camillus, grandfon to the great Ca-
millus, and C. Maenius, a plebeian, to end the war which
he had left unfinifhed. That the new confuls might not
fail of fuccefs, the fenate plentifully furnifhed them
with men, ammunition, arms, and provifion, by which
means the united forces of the Latins were defeated, the
town of Pedum .was taken by aflault, and all Latium
brought under fubjeftion. The confuls, having finiflied
the war, returned to Rome, where they were honoured,
not only with a triumph, but alfo with two equeftrian fla-
tues erefbed in the forum '•

The confuls, having fome time to continue in their
office, employed it in determining the fate of the con-
quered. Camillus was inclined to clemency, and advifed
the fathers rather, to increafe the fubje<9:6 of the republic,

<i Liv. lib. viii. cap. jx. r Idem ibid. cap. Eutrop. lib. ii^

Faft. Capit.

by

ne Roman Htfiorf. ^59

bj^ admitting the Latins to the privileges of Roman citi-
zens, than to exterminate them, and reduce their country
to a defert. The chief men in the fenafe adhered to the
conful's advice. But, as fome cities had been more cri-
minal than others, it was thought proper to miike a diC-
tin£tion in the treatment ^of them. Lanuviiim, Aricia^
Nomentum, and Pedum, were made Roman municipia ;
their foldiers had the privilege of being incorporated in
the legions, fliared all the advantages of the Roman fol-
di^ry, and were no longer upon the footing of auxiliaries.
The Tufculans were reftored to the enjoyment of their
privileges, the fenate being unwilling to condemn a whole
country for the faults of a few. Velitra was rafed, and its
fenate and inhabitants were removed into another city be-
yond the Tiber/ The Antiaites were indulged with the free-
dom of Roman citizens ; but their fleet, cotififtihg of {\x
gallies, was partly burnt, and partly carried into the Ro-
man ports. With the brafs beaks of their veflels, called
in Latin roJlra\ the conful Msenius adorned the pulpit
from whence the Roman magiftrates harangued, the peo-
ple \ and hence it was ever after called the roftra. The in-
habitants of Tybur and Praenefte were deprived of all
their lands, not fo miicH oil accdUnt of their late revolt,
as for having formerly aflifted the Gauls* Arid, laftly^
all the Latins were forbidden to aflemble their diets, as
ufual, to marry out of their refpedive tribes, or to have
common markets or fairs for trade. As for the cities of
Campania, their lands wefe divided among the Romans.
Thus were the two mod fruitful provinces of Italy fub-
dued by the republic, and the Latins, from allies of
Rome, made her fubjeft^ '.

In the following confulate of C. Sulpicius Longiis ^nd
P. ^liiis Paetus, rublilius, though a plebeian, obtained
the prsetotfhip, the only great dignity which the plebeians
had not before fliafed with the nobility. Thus the people
being arrived at the height of their defires, all pretence^
for faftion ^ere taken away. The confuls of the new
year, L. Papirius and Csefo Duilius, led an army againft
the Sidicini and Aufoties, who had invaded the country
of the Aurunci at this time in alliance with Rome, de-
feated them in the field, and, having obliged them to y^, of Fh
take flielter behind the walls of their cities, returned to 1025
Rome.' In the following confulate of M. Valerius Cor- Ante Chr^
Vus, now raifed to that dignity a fourth time, and M. _. 3»3.

• Liv. lib. vjii» cap. 13. FIor« lib. L cap. 11. — — ^— —

S 2 AttilittS

z6o The Roman Htftoryt,

^ke SiMci' Attflius Regulus^ the former laid fiegc to Cale the metro-
m a9d An* polls of the AufoneSy which he took by means of covereid
' euned^ galleries, and moveable towers, which he invented on
this occafion for fcreening his men, and carrying on the
attacks without moleftation. After this atchievement,
both confuls marched againft the Sidicini; but> the year
being expired before they had finifhed their conqueft, their
fuccefibrs, T. Veturius Calvinos, and Sp. Pofthumius
Albinus, putting themfelves at the head of the troops
which Valerius had commanded, entered the enemy's
country, and laid it wafte without oppofition. Upon the
return of the confuls to Rome, a report being fpread, that
the Sidicini had afTembled a formidable army, and were
F, Cdrni' joined by the Samnites, a diflator, P. Cornelius Rufinus^
J^t^^ was appointed to march againft them. His authority did
not la(l long \ the augurs found his nomination defedHve
in fome circumftances, and obliged him to abdicate ; as a
plague raged at this tin!ie in Rome^ the anifpices, carry-
ing their fuperftition ftill farther, declared, that all the
aufpices of the year had been infe£led by the contagious
air, and that the inauguration of the confuls themfelves
had been faulty. On this fuperftitious prejudice, the
chief magiftrates of Rome were difplaced, and an inter-
regnum enfved. Next year the fafces were transferred,
according to the Fafti Capitolini, to L. Papirius Curfor,
and C. Paedlius Libo Vifolus, who, in all likelihood, re-
duced the Sidicini ; for we find no other epoch of their
reduftion (O). They were fucceeded by A. Cornelius,
a fecond time conful, and Cn. Domitius, who were
obliged to name a diflator, upon a groundlefs report, that
the Gauls were preparing for a war with the republic.
Papirius CrafTus was the man they pitched upon, and he
chofe Valerius Poplicola for his matter of the horfe.
While the dictator was employed in raifing an army, more
certain news came, that all was quiet on that fide. How-
ever, as the Samnites had afTembled forces to oppofe
Alexander king of Epirus, the diftator kept his army in
the field, till the Samnites» upon the retreat of that
prince, difbanded their troops. In this fame year, the
number of Roman citizens being greatly increafed after

(O) Livy neither mentions found the whole chronology of

thefe confuls, nor gives us any the republic, were it not for the

account of this year; which is a Fafti Capitolini, which name

2;reatoiniffion, and would con- the above mentioned confuls.

the

. The Roman Hiftofy; z6i

the reduftion of the Latins, two new tribe*, the Maecian 9^*^ «^'-
and Scaptian, were added «. /r^/f "^

During the tranquility which Rome enjoyed, after the
redudion of the Latins, there fprung up in her bofom ji
new kind of monfters, more to be dreaded than any
foreign enemy. A number of women of diftiriftion, ac- j pht
cording to fome writers three hundred and fixty, plotted formed fy
together, upon what provocation we know not, to dif- >«»'^^
patch their hufbands by poifon ; and took the opportunity ^^'^^J^;.
of an epidemical diftemper to execute their wicked defign. fyfi thiir
People were furprifed to fee fo many men of note die, hujhimds*
and all with the fame fymptoms ; but had no fufpicion of
this parricide, as we may term it j againft which there
was then no law provided. At length their wickednefs
was difcovered by a woman, who was in the fervice of
one of thofe female aflaffins, and affifted her in preparing
her poifon. This Have applied to Q^ Fabius, who was at
that time curule aedile ; and having, upon promife of
impunity, difcovered to him the whole myftery of iniquity,
the aedile imparted the fecret to the confuls, and the con-
fuls to the fcnate ; by whofe order the flave, attended by
fome officers, went to the houfes of above twenty Romax^
ladies, who were all found bufy in preparing poifon.
Among thefe were two patrician women, Sergia and Cor*
nelia, who being brought before the aflembly of the peo-
ple, and there examined, maintained, that they had pre-
pared only medicines for the fick, in which there were no
poifonous ingredients. In confequence of this declara-
tion, the flave, finding herfelf fufpefted of calumny, pro-
pofed, that the t^yo ladies Ihould take their own potions.
When the fenate ordered the experiment to be made,
Cornelia and Sergia defired to confer with their accom-
plices ; which requeft being granted, they all drank their
own poifon, and delivered themfelves from a more cruel
death. The republic afcribed this unheard-of prodigy to
afpirit of madnefs, fent as a punifliment by the angry
gods ; and therefore to appeafe their wrath, had recourfe
to the ceremony formerly praftifedin the time of plagues,
and general calamities. The fenate ordered the confuls to
nominate a diftator, to drive a nail into the wall of the
temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. Accordingly Cn. Quinti-
Jius was raifed to that dignity, and L. Valerius Potitus
made general of the horfe, only to renew this fuperfti-
^ou5 ceremony ; which was no fooner performed, than

t Liv. lib. viii. cap. 17*

S3 h«

%62

rht Pri-

rtvolu

Privernum

The Roman Hifiory.

he refigncd his tranfient. dignity, and- gave way to the
confulate of L. Papirius Craflus, a fecond time conful,
and L. Flautius Vcnno ".

In the beginning of their year, the Privernates, in con*
junftion with fome of the inhabitants of Fundi, revolted
at the inftigation of Vitrius Vaccus, a native of that city,
who enjoyed all the rights of a Roman citizen, and had
even made himfelf an inhabitant of Rome. The Priver-
nates, on the approach of the two confuls, retired into
their city. Then Plautius, with one part of the army,
entered the territory of Fundi, where he was met by the
fenate of that city, who protefted that they had no (bare
in the revolt. The conful wrote to Rome in their favour,
and marched to join his colleague, who had already
blocked up Privernum. But, during the fiege, one of the
confuls was called back to Rome, to prefide in the co-
rn itia for electing new confuls, the city being alarmed at
the news of the Gauls being in motion. The new con-
fuls, L. ^milius a fecond time, and C. Plautius, entered
upon their office the day they wCre chofen, though before
the ufual time, and drew lots for their commands. It
fell to iEmilius to a£l: againfl the Gauls ; and to his col-
league to carry on the fiege of Privernum. jEmiiius made
the levies with the utmoft vigour, admitted of no excufe,
but put all, without diftin£lion, who were able to bear
arms, upon the military roll. But the great army ^aifed
on this occafion marched p,(^ farther than Veil, where the
Gonftil received' certain advice, that all was quiet among
the Gauls. He then joined his colleague before Priver-
num, which, being already fatigued with a long fiege,
furrendered, and delivered up Vitrius, the author of the
revolt, who was by an order from the fenate fcourged and
beheaded. The two confuls, on their return to Rome,
were honoured with a triumph, and iEmilius acquired the
furname of Privernas. ^

What now remained was, to punifh the Pivernates.
. Such of the fenators as had continued in the place after
the revolt, were removed beyond the Tiber, and forbid to
pafs the river, under the penalty of a great fine. As for
the innocent multitude, and the prifoners taken in the
war, the conful Plautius nfed all his intereft in their be-
half. He led the captives to the door of the fenate-houfe,
^nd made a moving harangue in their favour. The fena*
jtors were divided in opinion, fome inclining to clemency,

'Liv.lib« viii. cs|p. i$.

others

Th Roman Hiflory.

others to fcvcrity. The only fource of thofe unhappy
men was humble fupplication. They were Volfci, a na-
tion proud, and capable of as generous fentiments as the
Romans ; for one of them, being afked by a fenator, who
was for putting them all to death, what puniihment he
and his fellow-captive deferved, anfwered with great in-
trepidity, " We deferve that punifliment which is due to
men who arc jealous of their liberty, and think themfelves
worthy of it." * Plautius, perceiving that his anfwer ex-
afperated fome of the fenators, endeavoured to prevent
the ill effefts of it, by putting a milder queftion to the
prifonei" : ** How would you behave, (faid he), if Rome
ihould pardon you ?" " Our condu^ (replied the ge-
nerous captive), depends upon your's. If the peace you'
grant us be honourable, you may depend on a conftant fi-
delity on our part : if the terms of it be hard or difho-
nourable, lay no ftrefs on our adherence to you." Some of
the judges conftrued thefe words as menaces ; but the
wifer part, finding in them a great deal of magnanimity,
cried out, that a nation; whofe only defire was lij)erty,
and only fear that of lofing it, was worthy to become
Roman. Accordingly a decree pafled in favour of the
prifoners, and Privernum was declared a municipium.
Thus the bold fincerity of one man faved his country,
and gained it the privilege of being incorporated into the
Roman ftate ^.

Next year, in the confulate of C. Plautius Proculus aind
P. Cornelius Scapula, the Romans gave umbrage to the
Samnites, by planting a colony in Fregellse, fituated in
their neighbourhood, and proved the occafion of that
bloody war which foon after broke out between the two
nations. In the mean time the Palsepolitans, taking the
advantage of this new difcontent of the Samnites, com-
mitted hoftilities in the Roman territories. Thefe people
were originally Euboeans, who, coming into Italy, built
Cumae, and thence fpreading themfelves farther, founded
the city of Naples, or Neapolis, that is, the New Cityt.
In' the neighbourhood of Naples, they found a town ready
built, of which they poffeffed themfelves, calling it Pa*
Isepolia, or Palaiopolis, that is, the Old City. Thefe Pa-
iaepoHtans were the firft of all the Greeks who ventured
to attack- the Romans. Their confidence was founded
upon a report, that the Samnites would foon be at war
with the Romans. The news of this unexpefted invafion

z6j

Privernum
declared a
municu
pium* ^

Yr. of Fl,

1031.
Ante Chr.

317.
U. C. 431. ^

The PaU^
folitaru
make an
irruption
into the
Roman ter*
riUries,

Li v.. lib* vixi. cap. ao, 21,

S4

arrived

s64

The eonful
marches
againft the
t aiapoli'
ians*

A new rup'
iftre bg-
tween ike
Samnifes
4ind Rom

^he Koman Hiftory\

;irrived ^t Rome juft before the comhia by ceiltunea wefe
afTembled to appoint new cpnfulsi and the comitia bj
tribes to choofe n^w tribunes of the people. The latter
chofe M. Fiavius^ a man of a moft infamous chara£ker,
who had been a^cufed not long before of violating a wo-
man of diftindion. C. Valerius, one of the curule
sediles, was his chief profecutor/; and the evidence being
clear, fourteen pf the twenty*nine tribes had already
voted him guilty, when the accufed cried out with great
proteftations, that he was innocent. Valerius, who bore
him an irreconcileable hatred, exclaimed with a louder
voice, ** What is that to me, whether thou art guilty or
innocent, provided thou be deftroyed ?" The tribes were
fo offended at thefe words, that they immediately ac-
quitted Flavius, though evidently guilty by a great majo-
rity of fuffrages. A few months after, he loft his mother;
and, as it was then cuftomary to oiFer facrifices in honour
pf the dead, he offered a greater number of vidims than
nfual, and diilributed the ilefh among the people, who
had favoured him at his trial. This gratitude proved
inot:e beneficial to him than he ezpefted. The people re-
membered him in the comitia, and.chpfe bim^ though
abfent, for one of their tribunes *.

The comitia by centuries raifed to the cpnfuiate L. Cor-
nelius Lentulus, and Q^ Fublilius Philo a fecond time.
The latter marched againft the Falaspolitans ; and, in or^
der to cut off their communication with Neapolis, from
whence they were fupplied with men and provifions, en-
camped on a narrow tradi of ground between thofe twQ
cities. His colleague pofted himfelf with another array
near Capua, to keep the Campanians in* awe. In this
camp he received undoubted intelligence, that the Sam<>
nites, jealous of the progrefe of the Roman arms, had
folicited the inhabitants of Privernura, Fundi, and For-
mia to revolt. Upon this information, the fenate fent
an embaify into Samnium, complaining of a condu£i fo
contrary to the faith of treaties. The ambaiTadors met
with a haughty reception ; but, without lofing their tem^
per> after having heard the complaints of the Samnites^^
which chiefly related to the rebuilding and fortifying Frc-
gell?E, returned the following anfwer : ** The injuries you
complain of require a great deal of time to be examined.
As therefore we have comrnon friends and allies, let us
refer our differences to their arbitration." ^^ ArbitratorS|

> Li v. lib. yiii. pap. %%» Val. Max. lib« vili. capt i«

(crie4

The Roman Htftory^ 965

{cried the Samnites), we will have none, but the gods,
and our arms. Battles will determine our pretentions
better than words. Mars {hall put an end to our difputes
in the plains of Campania. Go, Romans ; tell your con-
fulS| that we wait for them between Capua and Sueflula^
Our fwords will there determine which of the two na-
tions ought to give law to the reft of Italy." The ambaC-
fadors replied, " We ihall not take our orders from you ;
our generals will lead us whither they think fit, and we
ihall follow them ^" In the mean while the time for the
new eleftions drawing near, the fenate, without recalling
the confuls, ordered a diflator to be named, to prefide ia
the comitia. The conful Cornelius nominated M. Clau-
dius MarcelluSy a plebeian, who chofe Sp. Pofthumius
Albinus mafter of the horfe. But the augurs pretending
that the nomination was invalid, Marcellus was obliged
to abdicate the di£tator(hip, and Pofthumius the command
of the horfe. The people, imagining that the view of the
augurs was only to wound the plebeian intereft, made
]oud complaints, and murmured at that ambitious col-
lege ; but in the end fuperftition prevailed, and, the go^
vernment falling into an interregnum, C. Paetilius Libo»
and'L. Papirius Mugellanus» were chofen confuls. Thefe, '
putting themfelves at the head of the army which Corne-
lius had commanded, entered Samnium ; and, being
joined by the Lucanians and Apuliaos, two nations to
which the Romans had been hitherto utter ftrangers, pe-»
netrated farther into the enemy's country, ravaged their
lands, and feized three of their cities, namely, AUifee,
Callifae, and Rufrium. On the other hand Publiliuls, be-
ing continued by the people, through the influence of the
tribunes, at the head of the fame army he had commanded
the year before, with the title of proconful, took Palaepo- PaUp$iis
lis, by a flxa^gem contrived and executed by two of the '«*'» fy «
citizens. - ftrati^m*

Four thoufand Samnites, and two thoufand of the in-
habitants of Nola, a city of Campania, having entered
the town before it was invefted, under pretence of
strengthening the garrifon, kept the inhabitants in a ftate
of flavery, and committed all forts of debaucheries, which
they extended even to the wives of that unhappy people,
and their children of both fexes. In this diftrefs the Pa-
laepolitans, having long waited in vain for relief from the
l^arcntincs, rcfolved at length to have recourfe td their

« ' y Uv- ibid. ^ap. aj,

enemies^

i66

niMus inter
into a
Uagui
nmtk thi
Samnites.

7he Roman Hiftory. %

enemies, in order to deliver themfelves from the opprcli
fion of their defenders. Nymphius and Charilaus, the
two chief magiftrates of the city, took upon them, with
the confent of the principal inhabitants, the execution
of the enterprize. Gharilaus efcaped as a deferter to the
Roman camp, where he imparted to the proconful the re-
folution his countrymen had taken. Publilius received
him kindly, and put him at the head of three thoufand
Romans, who, at a proper time, were to attack the town
in that part where the Samnites defended it. In the mean
time NymphiuSy who had ftaid in Palsepolis, and kept a
private correfpondence with his colleague, contrived an-
other ftratagem, and fo blinded the Samnite commanders,
that they fell without any fufpicion into the fnare he had
prepared for them. He advifed them to equip the fleet
which lay in the port, and make a defcent in the Roman
territories, in order Co oblige tl^e Romans to quit Sam-
nium, and the neighbourhood of Palaepolis. This motion
being approved, Nymphius contrived to employ the Sam«
nite troops in the laborious work of fetting the mips afloat,
which lay dry on the fhore. By thefe means, that part of
the wall, which the Romans were to attack,being but weakly-
guarded, Charilaus, m confequence of advice received from
his colleague, advanced at the head of three thoufand Ro-
mans ; and, being favoured by his friends, made himfelf
mafter oftbe place. The Samnites, who were employed
on the fhore, finding themfelves fhamefully over-reached,
fled with precipitation, and arrived in their own country
without either arms or baggage, where they were expofed
to the ridicule of all their neighbours, who continuailly
Jeproached them with the equipment of the Palaepolitan
fleet'. For this fuccefs Publilius obtained a triumph j
though he was neither conful nor dictator *.

The reduftion of Palsepolis created new enemies againft
the Romans in Great Greece. The Tarentincs, having
loft their proteftor, Alexander king of Epirus, and being
jealotis of the growing power of Rome, by a ftratagem
feduced the Lucanians, who had gone over to the Ro-
mans, into a league with the Samnites. They bribed a
company of young Lucanians of good families to fcourge
their own backs, and then fhew themfelves to the people;
pretending that they had been treated in that cruel man-
ner by order of the Roman confuls, to whofe camp cu-
riofityhad led them. The Lucanians, fufiering themr

> I«,iv« lib, viii. c^p, 45*

« Idem- ibid. cap. a6.

felv^

The Roman Htftory.

felves to be impofed on by fo grofs a cheat, immediately
convened a national afleml^y; and, without examining
into the truth of fo improbable a fa£);, decreed that war
ihould be declared againft the Romans, and their ancient
alliance with the Samnites renewed. Purfuant to this
refolution an embaffy was fent to the latter, who could
fcarce believe the deputation real ; and therefore would
not heatken to their propofals till hoftages were delivered,
and Samnite garrifons put into all their towns. The Lu-
canians complied with all their demands, without difcover-
ing the impofture till it was tdo late to repent **.

While the affairs of the republic profpered abroad, the
poor debtors had the good fortune to fhake off the only
yoke which now lay heavy upon them. By one of the
laws of the Twelve Tables, creditors were impowered to
feize their infolvent debtors, and keep them in their houfes,
till by their fervices or labour they had difcharged the
fum they owed. A young plebeian of extraordiYiary
beauty, and of a good family, named Publilius, had vo-
luntarily made himfelf a flave to L. Papirius, in order to
pay his father's debts. Papirius conceiving a deteflable
paffion for the young man, and finding his virtue proof
againft all his promifes and careiTes, caufed him to b^
fcourged moft unmercifully. After this cruel treatment
publilius, having found means to make his efcape,
complained publicly of the inhuman ufage he had met-
with, and related the occafion of it. The people,
filled with compaffion for the young plebeian, and with
refentment againft his mafter, forced the confuls to aflem-
ble the fenate; and, prefen ting Publilius before them,
with his back bloody, demanded juftice on their knees.
The fenate had regard to their cries ; and, without de-
creeing any thing againft Papirius, whofe crime was not
fufficiently proved, pafTed a decree, which was readily
accepted and confirmed in the comitia. It enafted,
that, for the future, no perfon whatfocver (hould be
' held in fetters, or other bonds, but for fome crime that
defcrved it, and only till the criminal had fufFered the pu-
nifliment due by law j and that creditors fhould only have
a right to attach the goods, and not feize the perfons of
their debtors ^.

In the following confulate of L. Furius Camillus and
D. Junius Brutus, the Veftini, a people on the coaft of
the Adriatic Seat, took arms againft Rome, but were de-

26y

Criditors

iiifabUd
fromfeiK"

ing the
perfoMs of
their dtUm
crs.

ThiVeJIini
defeated by

the confuf
Brutus*

^Lif.Iib. viii* cgp. 17*

c Idem ibid. cap. 28.

featcd

a^S

gages th$
SamMtieSt
mmd gains

demnedhy
the diBa-
tar^ hut re-
fiuedbythe

The Roman Hiftory.

feated by Briitus, who fcized on the two cities of Cutina
and Cingilia^. CamilluS) who was to a& againft the
Samnites, being fick, named to the di£btor{hip !•• Papi-
rius Curfor, who appointed Q^Fabius Rulitanus to be
general of the horfe. The didator took the field againft
the Samnites ; but foon after returned to Rome, on ac-
count of fome religious fcruples relating to the aufpices
confulted previous to his departure. Before be left the
army, he forbad Fabius, whom be entruftcd with the
command, to venture a battle in his abfence. But Fa*
bius, difdaining to be reftrained, notwithftanding the
dilator's prohibition, attacked the Samnites, and gained
a complete vifdory, having killed above twenty tboufand
of them on the fpot. The young conqueror, elated with
fuccefs, inflead of lodging the fpoils of the enemy in the
quaeftor's hands, caufed them all to be burnt, that they
might not increafe the pomp of the di^iator's triumph.
Befides, he did not fend any account of his viflory to the
dictator, under whofe aufpices be had fought, but only
to the fenate* The di£tator, incenfed at this arpi^asce,
fet out in aU bafte from Rome, to puniih his difobedieat
general of the horfe. But Fabius, having timely notice
of his coming, and of his defign, called together the
troops, and, in a feditious harangue, committed to them
the defence of his life and fortune. His fpeech was ap«
plauded by the legions ; they all promifed him their affift^
ance \ and protefted, that nothing but death fhould fepa«
rate them from a commander under whofe condu£^ they
bad gained fo fignal a vi<5lory.

In the mean time the di£lator arrived ; and, having
aflembled the troops* ordered the crier to call the general
of the horfe to appear before him. Fabius obeyed the
fummonsj and, being queftioned by the diftator con-
cerning his difobedienccy returned only dark and confufed
anfwers. As he could offer nothing in defence of his
caufe, Papirius ordered the li£tors to ftrip him, and pre*
pare their rods and axes. But while the executioner^
were tearing off his cloaths, he found means to efcape,
and to retire among the triarii. A loud (hout was im<*
mediately heard from the place whither Fabius had fled,
which was anfwered by the whole army. The foldiers
declared in his favour ; but exprefled their fentiments
very differently. Some threatened the diftator; others
begged pardon for the offender. Thofe who ftood next

^ Liy. lib. viit. cap. %^

The Roman Hi^ary^ 169

to the tribttilal, defired JPapirius, in a fuppliant manner,
to fpare the life of his general .of the horfe, and not con-
demn all the troops in his perfon. The lieutenant-ge«
nerak of the army, who furrounded the diAatof, in«
treated him to defer the execution till the next day, to give
the. foldiers tioie to cool, and to take fome time to calm
his own mind. The di3:ator continued inflexible ; nay,
he commanded, with an angry tone, the lieutenant-ge-
nerals to leave the tribunal. The fedition now increafed,
and the foldiers grew more furious. The di£tator com-
manded filence, but neither he nor his criers could be
heard. The legionaries were ready to oflcr violence to
their general 1 but night approaching^ put an end to the
tumult.

Fabitts efcaped to Rome^ where his father found means
to have the fenate immediately afiembled, in order to ob-
tain a decree in his favour. But Papirius, arriving on a
Xudden, took his place in the fenate, and ordered the lie-
tors te feize young Fabius. In vain did the fenators in-
tercede for the criminal ; Papirius was inexorable. The 7^' ^&r
fattier, having no other refource, appealed to the people tf^^j*^
in comitia. There had never yet been any inftance of an ?^j^^j[^
appeal from the fentence of the di£i;ator. Neverthelefs tH^aior m
Papirius did not think fit to difallow the fuperior autho- thej^ofle.
rity of the people, fo that the caufe was brought before the
comitia aflembled in the forum Thither repaired the
diftator with few attendants ; but the Fabii were guard-
ed by all the people of diftin6lion in Home. Both the ,
Fabii afcended the roftra with the di£kator* The fon had
a right to harangue the people from thence, as general of
the horfe ; but the father had no right, it being the pri-
vilege of magiftrates only to appear in that place. Papi-
rius therefore ftemly ordered him to be polled down, as
not being in of&ce ; and alfo commanded the fon to de-
fcend as a criminal who had forfeited the privileges an*
nexed to his office. The father, placing himfelf thfen at
the foot of the roftra, broke out into bitter invefitives
againft the haughtinefs and cruelty of Papirius ; cited the
cafe of MinutiuSy and L. Furius, who had not been fo
(everely puniflied, though they had fought contrary to the
advice of the dilators Cincinnatus, and the great Camil-
las; and omitted nothing that could be urged in this
caufe. He clamoured, he complained, he called upon
the gods and men for help ; and, embracing his fon, flied
a flood of tears. The whole affembly was inclined to the
Fabii ; but Papirius was fupported by the military laws,
Ae rules of difciplinc, which were deemed inviolable,

the

ayo ^^ Roffum Hiftofy.

the dignity of bis office* and the didatorial ediflis. Hie
- reproached the Romans with degeneracy from that heroic
love of their country, which ufed to prevail over all ps^-
temal affe£lion, and private views 5 he urged the exam-
ples of Manlius and Brutus, who had courage to facrifice
their own children for the fnke of the public good ; he
expatiated on the evil confequences of admitting appeals
from the di£tator to the people, and efpecially in cafes of
difobedience in war ; and concluded with aiking the tri-
bunes, whether they were willing to anfwer thofe confe-
quences with their heads ? Thefe words thretir both the
• tribunes and the people into great perplexity. They pitied
the Fabii, though they could not condemn the feverity of
Papirius. They knew the receiving of appeals from the
fentence of the dictator would indeed increafe the power
of the plebeians ; but they were afraid of the confequences
of fo dangerous an encroachment on a fovereign autho*
rity, and therefore they became interceflbrs for the crimi-
nal, humbly befeeching the di£btor to pardon his general
of the horfe. The Fabii themfelves fell proftrate at the
di£^ator's feet, and implored his clemency.

The diftator, cauiing filence to be made, fpoke to thii
eiFeft : ** Military difcipline, and the authority of gene-
rals, are to be preferved inviolate. The temerity of Fa«*
*thidi3a', jjjyg expofed both to great dangers : but he has not been
^'^e'uefl of j*^^gf ^ innocent ; only pardon is aflced for him. This I
Vhe people^ readily grant, in deference to the Roman people, and to
pardons thi the intercefficm of their tribunes. They have not pro-
^fender, nounced him innocent as judges, but intercede for him as
^ friends. Live then, Quintus Fabius, ntorc fortunate in
this unanimous confent of all orders in the republic to
fave, you, than in the viflory you lately gained. Live,
Fabius, though you have dared to commit a crime which
your father hinifclf, had he been in my place, would have
expiated with your blood. Yqu (hall be received again
into my favour at your pieafure. But as to the Roman
peof)le, to whom you owe your life, you can never ex*
prefs your gratitude to them better, than by pundually
and implicitly obeying, whether in peace or in war, your
lawful commanders. Go ; you are at liberty." Thefe
words were followed by loud acclamations 5 fome congra-
tulating Fabius, others expreffing their gratitude to Papi-
rius. i he di6lator, and his general of the horfe, were
condu£led to their houfes by crowds of people of all
ranks **. The many triumphs, with which we fliall fee

« Liv. lib. viii. cap. 30—35.

bim

Tke Roman Hjftoiy. 271

him hereafter honoured, will prove him worthy of the
zeal which Rome fliewed for his deliverance. >

While Papirius was in Rome, the Samnites, takifig ad-
vantage of his abfence, infulted the Roman army, know-
ing that their leaders would not move from their camp to
engage them, for fear of meeting with the fate of Fabius.
M. Valerius, one of the lieutenant-generals, fuffered a
detachment of Romans to be cut in pieces, though he
might eafily have refcued them ; faying, that he dreaded
the feverity of the didator more than the enemy's forces.
This incident greatly contributed to increafe the hatred The armf
of the foldiery to their general^ who foon after arriving '^-^ ^ffe^ed
in the camp with his new general of the horfe, L. Papi*. '^ ^^P^riuf
ritis CrafTus, found the legions fo exafperated agaiiift him,- ^ y^/^yj.
that he loft all hopes of making any great progrefs. The 'Vtrityi
Samnites> informed of the prefent difpofition of the Ro-
man army towards their general, immediately offered him
battle. Papirius, thinking himfelf obliged in honour to
accept the challenge, drew up his army ; and, in order to
fupply the want of affeSion in his foldiers by his (kill in
. war, pofted them fo advantageoufly, that it was not pofll-
blc for them to be entirely . defeated. They fought, in-
deed, very faintly, for fear of increafing the glory of
their general : but, after all, they did not lofc the battle ;
there being more Samnites killed than Romans, though
the number of the wounded was much greater on the fide
of the latter.

After the batde, Papirius afted a part which furprifed who
every body. Not one officer, or foldier, who had behaved ch^g^f
negligently in the engagement, was fo much as repri- ^^J*»^«^>
manded. Laying afide the majefty of a didator, he, with ^heir^af^
his lieutenants, vifiting the wounded foldiers, looked into Jedions.
their tents, enquired into their health, and charged their
tribunes to take particular care of them. As in this fud-
den change he did not difcover the leaft afFeflation, the
arniy began in a fhort time to fhew him a tender afFe£kion.
The people in the city, being informed of this unexpe£ted
iteration, thought fit to continue him fix months longer
w his employment j during which he obtained a complete Defeats th
viftory, over-ran Samnium, and compelled the enemy to^ Samuitet*
fue'for peace. This the dictator granted them, on thefe
preliminary conditions : i . That they fliould clothe all
his troops : 2. That they fhould give them a year's pay :
^Jid, 3. That they ihould get the treaty confirmed by the '
fcnate. Papirius, on his return to Rome, was decreed a
^iumph ; after which he prefided at the cleftion of the

new

tyt The Roman tUfiary^.

tit^ conful8> C. Sulpitius Longus, and (^AuIius'Cerd*
tanus, and then refigned his dignity. The Samnites, to
whom the fenate had only granted a year's truce, no
fooner heard, that Papirius had quitted the diftatorihip,
than they took the field. As the Apulians declared for
them againft Rome, the forces of the republic were di-
vided between the two confuls. Aulius marched againft
the ApulianS} and Sulpicius againft the Samnites ; but
little progrefs was made in the war this year, both Sam-
nites and Apulians keeping themfeWes clofe in their
ftrong-bolds.
^e con^ ^^^ "^^^ y^*^> when Qj^Fabius, who had been gene*

/«if. S^ ^^^ ®f ^^ horfe to Papirius, and L. Fulvius Conrus were
Fabius and confuls, the Samnites, having raifed a formidable army,
L, Fulvius furprifed the Romans, commanded by the confuls, in a
C9r<vus, ygj^ difadvantageous poft, and obliged them to hazard a
i^pku battle, which lafted many hours, without being decifive.
nndorj. At length, the imprudence of the Samnite cavsdry turned
the fortune of the day in favour of the Romans ; for the
confuls having deGgnedly fent away the baggage of the
army under a fmall guard, the enemy^s horfe, not being
aware of the feint, wheeled off to feize it. But when
they had put themfelves into diforder, and loaded their
horfes with the plunder, the confuls detached all the Ro-
man cavalry, with orders to attack them ; a/ervice which
they performed with fuch fuccefs, that few of them
efcaped. Then the Roman cavalry, marching a great
way about, engaged the rear of the Samnite infantry,
which had not yet given ground. This unexpe£fced at-
, tack threw them into confufion. The Romans, purfuing
their advantage, cut all thofe Samnites, who kept their
ground, in pieces. Thofe who fled were, for the moft
part, put to the fword by the horfe, and among the reft
the general himfelf. The Samnites, after this defeat, re-
penting of their breach of the truce, endeavoured to pa-
cify the Romans, by making reftitution of what plunder
they had taken contrary to the faith of the treaty. They
like wife pafled a decree, that Brutulus Papius, a man of
diilindion among them, the chief author of the rupture,
fliould be delivered up to the Romans : but he having laid
violent hands on himfelf, his dead body was carried to
Bome, with ail the captives and fpoil taken in the time
of the truce ^ After this event, the conful Fulvius re-
turned to Rome ; but his colleague led an army into Apa*

f Liv. ibid. cap. 3^-«4o,

Ua,

fhe RmM tiifloryl iti^

'in, Wiere ht ihuft Iiave been attended with (uccefs, finee
he is faid, in the Fafti Capitolini, to have triumphed
jyvtT the Samnites and Apuliains (P), while his colleague
Fulvius triumphed over the Samnites only. A. Corne-
lius was chofen dictator this year, to preiide at the games
in the ^bfence of the confuk, and during the iicknefs of
the praetor.

The Samnites, being refufed a peace, notwithftanding TheSam*
the fatisfa^on they had given for the breach of the truce, ^^'^P^':
made the neceflary preparations for carrying on the war ^^arryon
with vigour. They appointed Pontius, an able and ex- thi war.
fKirienced oficer, to command their troops. He was the
ion of Hereimius, who had been at the head of their .
armies in his ijrounger dayv, but now led a private life,
and vras, on account of his wifdom, confidered as an
Oracle. On the other hand, the Romans, in their co«
mitia, chofis T. Veturius and Sp. Pofthumius confuls i
who, ptutting themfelves at the head of the army, took
their route to Calatia, a city of Campania. When they
arrived at that place, Pontius, who had encamped among
^he wjoods imd mountains, in the, neighbourhood of Cau-
dium, a little town in. Samnium, about a league from
Calatia, cauCsd a report to be fpread, that the Samnite
army was laying fiege to Luceria in Apulia 5 and, the
more effedually to deceive them, he fent ten of his hU
diers, in the habit of herdfmen, to lead flocks into dif*
ferent parts between Caudium and Calatia, with inftruc«
tions to agree all in the fame report, when taken by the
enemy. Xhe ftratagem had the deCred efftfk ; and the
Romans, in a council of war, refolved to advance in(to
Apulia, and relieve Luceria. Some were for marching
the fartheft way, through the open country; others,
fearing left the place ihould, in the mean time, fall into ^*

the enemy's hands, preferred the (horteft way to the Aau cir.
fafeft; and their opinion prevailing, the army began to ^u,
march thj::ough narrow pafles, and climb rocks, which U. C. 437»
feemed inacceffible. At length they arrived at the fatal -*-——•

(P) The miflake of fome icribes to him all the glory of

memoacs, which Livjr follow- that exploit. But the Fafli

cd, arifes from this: that Capitolini bform us better;

writer, finding that the go- and, upon their authority, we '

vemment was m the hands of have rectified the miftake of the

a diSator, at the time of the Latin hiflorian (i).
defeat of the Samnites, af-

(0 Fafti Capitol. Veil. PaUrcul. lib. L & Liv. lib. viiL cap. 37.

Vol. X T place.

a74

dim Forks.

man army
furrounded.

Pontius
cgnfuits his
fathert in
lakatman*
mru trnst
the Ro'
mans.

hh ad^

If. a.

The Roman WJlory.

place, which has been (ince known by the niame <ji ^

Caudine Forks*

The confuls marched through, a narrow hollow way^
having on each fide thick forefls ; and from thence de-
fcended into a valley, fo furrounded with hills, that it
looked like an amphitheatre. The hills were fo covered
with trees and briars, as to be abfolutely unfurmountable.
The valley was very marfliy, being watered by torrents
rolling down from the rocks, as well as by fubterranean
fp rings. The Samnites had taken care to block up the
pafTage with huge trees laid acrofs. The confuls gave or-
ders to' clear it ; but finding it impraflicable, and difco-
vering great numbers of the enemy on the tops of the
eminences, began to fear an ambufcade. To avoid,
therefore, being furrounded, they inftantly turned back,
and endeavoured to get out of the valley by the hollow
way through which they had entered; but in vain, the
Samnites having already blocked up the paffagc« The
legions, finding themfelves thus (hut in, without a poffi-
bility of efcaping, flood immoveable, fixing their eyes on
one another, with marks of aftonifhment and defpain
The confuls pitched their tents, and ordered fbrtifiica-
tions to be raifed, as if they were difpofed to continue in
that fituation. The foldiers knew this was a fruitlefs pre-
caution, but neverthelefs raifed a rampart along the wa-
ter, though they were fcoffed at and infultedby the enemy
from the tops of the eminences. As foon as the army was
encamped, the chief ofEcers repaired to thq, confuls; but
the time of the confultation was rather fpent in lamenta-
ti^s, than in difcovering falutary expedients^

Meanwhile, nigl)t came on, which the foldiers fpent in
difcourfing on their unhappy fituation j while the Sam-
nites, elated with this furprifing fuccefs, could not agree
among themfelves what ufe to make of it. In this irre-.
folution, it was unanimoufly agreed in a council of war
to confult , old Herennius, the general's father, aind the
oracle of the nation, A meflenger was therefore dif-
patched, informing him of the extremity to which his fon ^
had, by his addrefs, reduced the Roman army, and de-
firing him to adyife them how they fhould treat an army
heretofore invincible, but now entirely at their mercy.
The wife old man returned by the meflenger the follow-
ing anfwer : ** I advife my fon to open a pafTage for the
Romans, and let them return home, without doing them
the leafl harm." The officers, furprifed at this anfwer,
and imagining the meflenger had mifunderftood Heren-
nius,

The Roman Hi/lory, . 2j-5

I11US5 fent him back ) and then the olid man gave a V^fy
different anfwer from the former : " Tell the council
(faid he), that I would not have them fpare the life of
one Roman ; let them be all put to. the fvirord without dif- •
tinftion." The ftratige difference between thefe two an-
fwers made the Samnites imagine, that there was fome
concealed meaning, and preffed Pontius to defire his fa*
ther would come to the camp and explain himfelf. He-
rennius came accordingly, and being introduced to the
council, told them, that Rom« was a powerful ftate, from
whofe affeftion they might promife themfelves the greateft
benefits, and from whofe enmity they had reafon to feat
Ae greateft misfortunes. " If we gain her affeftion (faid
he), by a fignal afl: of generofity, we fecure a happy and
lafting tranquility. On the other hand, if we cut off the
flower of her' youth at one blow, we (hall be fafe, at
leaft for a time. In good policy, there is no medium be-
tween thefe two extremes. Either fave the Romans in
fuch manner as to make them your friends, or deftroy
them fo effeftually, as to render them lefs formidable
enemies." But Pontius and his officers rejedling this ad-
vice, chofe a middle way, not fo generous as the former,
nor quite fo rigorous as the latter. They fpared their lives,
but at the fame time treated them as conquered enemies.

While the Samnites were deliberating about the fate of
the Romans, the fcarcity of provifions increafed daily in
the inverted camp ; and no hopes of relief appeared, or
poffibility of efcaping. Some foldiers, indeed, attempted
to get out of the fnare, but were met and driven back by
the enemy's parties. In this defperate condition, the con- Thi dejpf
fuls fent a deputation to the Samnites, to defire a yeace ''f '5 «"»-
upon equitable terms; or, in cafe of refufal,.to invite fJ^^S j^
them to a battle. Pontius, with a haughty air, gave the fnanarmjt
deputies the following anfwer : " We have no battles to
fight ; the vifkorsf is already gained. Not a man of your
legions (hall efcape, till you have all been difarmed, and
paffed one by one under the yoke. Befides, the Romans
fliall leave Samnium, and withdraw their colonies from
all the cities which they have taken from us. Tell your
confuls this from me ; and if they do not accept the terms
propofed, appear no more in my prefence." TBis anfwer
cccafioned as great a confternation in the camp, as if they
had received advice that they muft die. Nothing was
heard but fighs and lamentations. The confuls were
afhamed to declare themfelves for fo degrading a treaty,
and yet could not reje£k it in the extremity to which
they were reduced.

T 2 While

276 The Roman Hifiory^

Theyfub' While they were thus hefitating, L. Lentulus, an offi-
mit to thi cer of diftin£lion, who by hia wife condu£t had raifed
^tS^eteT^ himfelf to one of the chief pofts in the army^ and had
ikm, ' been at the head of the deputation to the Samnites^ broke
filence ; and, in a long harangue, fliewed the neceffity of
complying with the conditions iropofcd, if they defired to
fave their own lives, or had any regard to the prefervation
of Rome. His advice was followed ; and the confui iigm-
fied to the Samnite general, that they confented to lay
down their arms, and pafs under the yoke ; upon which
intimation a conference enfued. In this interview, Pon-
tius deCired to conclude a treaty of peace and friendfhip
with Rome \ but the confuls declared, that they could not
conclude any thing that would be binding, without the
approbation of the people, and the minidry of the feciales.
•• Our power (faid they), extends no farther than to make
promifes, which we are ready to ftrcngthen by giving
hoftages." The ftipulation was accepted ; and, on thi day
appointed, the confuls, Keutenant*generals» quxftors, and
military tribunes, went to the camp of the Samnites to fign
it. They promifed to quit Samnium, evacuate the places
where they had planted colonies, and fufier the Samnites to
live in peace,^ according to their own laws. To fecure
the performance of this convention, the Samnites de«
manded fix hundred Roman knights as hoftages, with this
condition, that they might cut off their heads, if the re-
public did not perform the conful's promifes
, Upon the return of the confuls, fprrow and rage filled
the hearts of the Roman foldiers. They could fcarcc re-
ftrain themfelves from offering violence to t^ir generals.
The Ro* and cutting them in pieces. They formed dreadful ideas
maitarm; ^f ^j^^jj. f^Q^e difhonour, and were meditating to avoid
d£"l^' it by laying violent hands on themfelves, and perifhing
yoku by their own fwords. At length the fatal hour came ;

the fix hundred knights marched firft out of the camp,
unarmed, and with their under-garments only. Thefc
were put into the enemy's hands, who conduced them to
a place of fafety. The two confuls appeared next, and
were ordered to pull off their paludamenta, or military
clokes, the enfigns of their dignity. At this fight the
foldiers, though full of rage againft their generals, turned
away their eyes, and changed their anger into corapaflion.
They could not fee officers of fo high rank treated with
fo much indignity, without the utmoft concern. While
the legions were lamenting their hard fate, the confuls
paffed ix& under the yoke, ftripped of their habits, and

halit

The Roman Hjflory. 277

half-naked; the inferior officers followed according to
their rank, and at laft the foldiers, one by one. The
Samnites infulted them, as they pafled ; and, if any Ro-
man returned but a fierce look, he was immediately
knocked down, or killed. When they had all undergone
this difgrace, they were allowed to depart ; and might
have reached Capua the fame day : but, partly out of dif-
truft of that city, though allied to Rome, and partly from
ihame to he feen there in fo miferable a condition, they
threw themfelves on the ground at fome diftance from
that city, with a defign to pafs the night in the open air,
without food or refrefhment. The Capuans, being in- TAi Ca*
formed of their misfortune, and forlorn condition, imme- puans re-
diately fent cloaths, horfes, arms, and even liftors and l^'^lJ-^'"'
fafces to the confuls, with proviCons for the whole army, jiflrefs.
Next day, when they drew near the city, the fenate
and people went out to meet them with all demonftrations
of friendftlip and kindnefs ; but the confuls, ahd their
troops, overwhelmed with (haAie, feemed unaffefted with
this friendly hofpitality. Witfi their eyes fixed on the
ground, they remained in filence, and (hunned all dif-
courfe. They were attended by many of the Campanian
nobility to the frontiers of their country : but they ftill
Ihewed the fame dejeftion of mind 5 which made the
Capuans conclude, that the Roman courage was for ever .
loft, and paved the way for a revolt. One of them,
however, a venerable old man, by name Ofilius Calavius,
judged differently of the dumb confufion of the Romans.
♦* Their eyes, (faid he), fixed on the ground, fhew how-
much they are bent on revenge ; and their refufing to be
comforted is a proof that they will never forgive the
affront they have received «."

At Rome the people began to be in pain for the confular Rotrn in
army. News had been brought that it was furrounded gnat com
by the enemy, and fome levies had been made to march >''»*«'»«•
to their affiftancc. But in the mean time the fenate re-
ceiving an account of the Ihameful peace, a ftop was put
to all farther preparations. The people, as foon as it was
communicated to them, put on the deepeft mourning,
without waiting for orders from the fenate. The admi-
niftration of jufticc was neglefted ; the (hops in the forum
wcrefliut; the Roman matrons laid afide their jewels *

?nd gold ring« 5 the magiftrates quitted their robes : in

C Liv. lib. ix. cap, 1—7,

T 3 fliortj

278 The Roman Hi^ory.

(hort, the city was in as great conftcmation as the armf.
Every one uttered the moft bitter invcftives againft the
cowards, as they ftyled them, and the authors of To fiiame-
ful a treaty. The multitude were even for (hutting them
out of the city, as wretches who did not deferve to fee ■
their native country again. But the indignation of the
Roman people was foon turned into pity ; for their un-
happy countrymen no fooner appeared at the gates, than
the whole city flocked out to fee them, every one lament-
ing, with tears in their eyes, the misfortunes of thofe un-
happy men. However, they did not enter the city till
night, and then every one ftole home, and hid himfelf in
hi* own houfe. Eveif the confuls, looking upon them*
(elves as difgraced, and in a manner degraded, relinquiih-
ed public fdciety, and only performed one funflion of
their office, which was indifpenfable ; that is, they named
Vi diftator to prefide in the comitia for the ele£tion of new
confuls, thinking themfelves unworthy to appear at the
head of the republic in the Campus Martius.

4^. Fahius

/tmbuflus
pamtd

M intifu

SECT. II.

From the Nomination of ^ Fabius Ambujius to be Dic-
tator^ to thefirjl Carthaginian War.

'TpHE diftator named was Q^ Fabius Ambuft us, who
^ chofe .^lius Paetus general of the horfe ; but fome
defe£l being found in his nomination, iEmilius Papas
was fubftituted in his room ; and the general of the horfc
he chofe was Valerius Flaccus. But the people were fo
diiTatisfied with all the magiftrates of this unfortunate
year, that the latter promotion was as much difliked as
the former ; whence it was thought expedient to let the
republic fall into an interregnum, in order to have a more
fortunate prefident of the comitia than either of the dic-
tators, whom fuch cowardly confuls had named. And
now two of the greateft men in the republic were unani-
moufly chofen, namely, Papirius Curfor a fecond time,
and Publilius Philo a third time. Thefe entered upon
their office the very day of their eleftion, which was a
degradation to their predeceflbrs, who had defervcd this
^ffront by their ill conduft. The firft bufinefs of the nev
confuls was to be invefted in their office by a decree of
the fenate, declaring, that in point of religion there had
heen no defe£): in their inauguration. After this cere-

monyi

7%e Raman Hiftory. ^ a 7 9.

siony, the treaty with the Samnites being laid before the
{enate^ Pofthumius, one of the , confuls, who had been
parties to it, declared, that the Roman people were not ^
bound by it, as not being made by their order. He added,
that the honour of the republic would be faved, by fur-
rendering him, and the reft of the oflBcers concerned in
the treaty, to the Samnites ; a ftep which he mpvcd might
be taken without delay. The fenators were (truck with.
admiration at the generofity of Pofthumius, and expreffcd.
no lefs cojmpaffion for him than efteem. However, they
approved of the propofal, and puffed it into a decree. Two <y^^ ireatv
tjcibunes* of the people, who had been raifed to that office ^/m the
fince thmr return from the Caudine Forks, oppofed at firft Samnites
the decree, maintaining, that the fatisfadion defigned ^^jj^reJ
for the Samnites was no way fufficient to difcharge the
demands they bad upon Rome ; and that, as to them-
felves, they were facrofand magiftrates, inviolable, and,
though concerned in the treaty, not to be delivered to
the enemy. But Pofthumius offered fuch arguments to
prove the invalidity of the Caudine convention, and the
fufficicncy of the defigned fatisfadion, that the two tri-
bunes confented at iaft to follow the fate of their compa-
nions, and with that view laid down their office. The .
Komans now talked of nothing but Pofthumius; they
compared his devotement to that of Decius ; and, think-
ing that their republic was obliged in juftice to nothing
more than to deliver up into the hands of the Samnites
thofe who had figned the treaty, they began to make the
necefTary preparations for a new war. There needed no
orders to raife troops ; an army was foon formed, almoft
wholly of volunteers, the Roman youth burning with rage
againft the Sumnites. The Caudine legions were again
inroiled, and a powerful army> marching from Rome,
in a few days arrived in the neighbourhood of Caudium.

As the Samnites were encamped at a fmall diftance, g-yj^ ««/«/.
preparations were made for furrendering the Roman delivend
officers in due form by afecialis. Cornelius Arvina, who t^ithe Sam*
was deputed by the republic to perform the ceremony,
began with commanding Pofthumius's hands to be tied.
But the officer, who was to do it, not tying the cord hard
«nough» out of refped to fo great a man, the generous
Pofthumius reproved liim : " Why do you fpare me (faid
he) ? itie me in fuch a manner, that the enemy may have
2)othix^ to fufped in my furrender.'* In this captive ftate.
the Roman officers were led to the Samnite camp, and
prefentcd to Pontiue by the fecialis, who expreffed him-

T 4 felf

mtes.

J

aSo The Roman Hifiory^

felf in there words* as he had been direded: *^ SltK»
thefc men undertook to conclade a peace with jrou with-
out any commi(fion» we deliver them up to yoa, in order
to free ourfelves from any ihare in the punifhmenty wMch
they alone have deferved." Pofthonnu», as ofiended at
what the fecialis faidi immediately gave him a blew on
the thigh with his knee> and ftemly faad, ^^ I am now ^
Samnite, and you an ambafiador of Rome. I hayCf
frherefore. by this blow, violated the law of natkms ;
and yott are thereby authorized to make war txpon us.''
But this fubterfuge ferved only to raife the tndignation of
the Samnite general, who laid before the fecialis and Poft^i
humius the injuflice and bafenefs of their proceedings.
He told them, that they were obliged in juftice either to
obferve the treaty, or fend the Roman army ^ain to the
Caudine Forks. " There (faid he) yotir confuls may rejcflr
the peace if they diflike it. Your honour will then be
untainted, and your fidelity, as well as the law of na-*
tions, will be preferved inviolate. But (hall the lives ol
your troops be faved, and you enjoy all the advantages of
the peace, while we reap no benefit from our conventions ?
Are thefe the equitable maxims upcrn which your feciakg
are ordered to a£l ? Is this the juftice with which yoa
proceed in treating with other nations ? As for yon, Poft- '
humius, do you think the gods will take you for a Sam?
nite, and confider the blow you have given as an infuh
ofFered to the Roman people by our nation ? b it thus
that you fport with religion and the faith of treaties ?
Are fuch ludicrous tranfa3ions becoming the gravity of a
conful, and the dignity of a great nation ? LIfiors, untie
the prifoners, and leave them free to go where they
pleafeV'
theKo- Pofthumius, and his company, returned fsrfe to the

^Mmre* camp, where all things were getting ready to enter upon
^^r ' adlion. On the other hand, the Samnites kept clofe
within their entrenchments, having, as Livy feys, a fore-
boding of the misfortunes which afterwards befel them.
They repented, but too kte, of their not having hearken-
ed to the wife counfels of Herennius. So that Fontius,
though conqueror, Joft, in a great meafure,bis reputation,
while Poilhumius, though conquered, and obliged to
pafs under the yoke, gained immortal glory among his
countrymen ; for the Romans looked on the liberty he
bad gained them of making war, as a certain vklory.

b {/iv.Ub, ix. cap. 8***i]|*

Not

The Roman Hijtory. ^gt

Not long after this tranfadion the ititrabitants of Satricnm
levolted from the Romans, and being fupported by a de-
HKbment of Samnites, furprifed Fregellse, a Roman co-
lony. The Fregellani attempted to drirc the enemj out FregelU
of their city. AH the inhabitants, women and children -I^^K^^'^
not excepted) exerted themfelves in defence of their lands, ijj^if^g^
their akars, and their bonlhold gods ; and, from the tops
of their iioufes, made a dreadful flaugbter of the enemy.
The Samnites and Satricani, fearing they fhould be oblig-
ed to abandon the city, caufed a proclamation to be made,
cfiering quarter to all who fliould lay down their arms.
Upon this many fttbmitted ; but the Samnites not think-
ing themfelves obliged to keep their word with anv of the
Roman name, caufed all who had furrendered to be burnt
alive. Only a fmall number of the Fregellani, who had
not Kftened to the enemy's promifes, retired fighting, and,
with their fwords, cut themfelves a way through the midft
<rf the Samnite troops *. At the fame time fome of the
chief citizens of Capua entered into a fecret plot to (hake
off the Roman yoke.

Thefe commotions induced the republic to have rccourfe
16 the ofual remedy in times of great danger. C. Maenius c. Mamu$
being named dictator, appointed M. Foflius, furnamcd Mutator*
Flaccihator, to be general of the horfe. The dilator's
commiffion was, contrary to cuftom, confined to the in-
qoiring into, and punifhing crimes againft the ftate. The
name of a judge from whom their lay no appeal, fo ter-
rified the beads of the confpiracy in Capua, that they
killed themfelves to avoid a more fevere death. As it is
common for perfons, who are charged with an extraor-
dinary commiffion, to ftretch their power to the utmoft
extent, the diftator pretended, that this authority extend-
ed not only to the traiterous praftices of the Capuans,
but to all confpiracies whatfoever, and wherefoever,
formed againft the Roman fta^e. By confpiracies, the
diftator, who was a plebeian, as well as his general of
the horfe, meant all intriguing and cinvaffing for offices ;
and accordingly fummoned feveral of the patricians to ap-
pear before him on accufations of that kind. Not only
the accufed, but the whole body of the nobility, taking
the alarm, threatened to profecute the diftator, and his
general of the horfe, as foon as their magiftracy fhould be
expired, for the crime which was laid to their charge.
" Our birth alone (faid they), leads us to the bigheft pofts.

^Livt lib.ixt cap. iz.

It

^wwn.

%%% The Roman. Hiftory.

It Is only for the common people, and fuch upflartsas the
cliftator, and his general of the horfe^ to raife themfelves
by intrigues." Msenius, though free from guilt, yet fear-
ing left his reputation fhould fufFer by the reports that
began to prevail, aiTembled the people, and having laid
before them the uprightnefs of his intentions, abdicated
the di£tator(hip, that he might be brought to a trial. Fof-
lius likewife refigned his office for the fame purpofe*
The fenate, by a fpecial commifiion, appointed the con-
fuls to be their judges. Thofe of the nobility, who ap-
peared againft him, were examined; and, upon a full
hearing, the accufcd were honourably acquitted K
mte Sam' The operations of the campaign this year were carried
wfUs o*uerm on by Cornelius Lentulus didlator, and Papirius Curfor,
'* j^Q^ jjj quality of conful, but of general of the horfe to

Cornelius. Thefe two divided their foiccs ; Cornelius, at
the head of the troops that had paiTed under the yoke, en*
camped near Caudium ; while Papirius nuirched with the
reft of the army to Luceria in Apulia, where the fix hun-
dred Roman knights who had been delivered up to the
Samnites as hoftages, were kept. Pontius would have
willingly marched to the relief of Luceria ; but he could
not leave his own country open to the Romans; and,
befides, he was apprehenfive, that the di£tator would
harafs his rear. He therefore refolved to put all to the
ifliie of a battle, and accordingly, marching out of his
entrenchments, drew up his men. As foon as the Sam-
nites appeared in battle-array, the didiator aiTembled his
men, in order to exhort them, as was ufual on fuch occa-
fionsy to behave themfelves valiantly. But the foldiers,
animated with an eager defire of revenge, demanded a
battle with fuch clamours, that the general's harangue
could not be heard. When they drew near the Samnites,
they preffed their ftandard-bearers to march f^ifter, and
fell upon the enemy with fuch fury, as cannot be expreff-
ed. It was then ufuaL to begin general a£tions with fome
difcharges of darts and ftones ; but the ardour of the Ro-
mans was fo great, that they threw down the darts they
had in their hands, and without orders drew their fwords,
and rufhed upon the enemy with an impetuofity, that
feemed akin to madnefs. This irregular animofity, or ra-
ther rage, did more than could have been expe£ked from
the wileft con4ufl:. Nothing could ftand before them ;
the Samnite army was put to the rout at the firft. oafet|

k Liv. lib* ix. cap. »$»

v4

^he Roman Hiftary. 283

and their camp taken and plundered. All the Sammted
found in the camp were put to the fword, and as great a
fiaughter of them, was made there, as in the battle K

After this viflory the diftator marched into Apulia, td Luceriahg^
affift his general of the horfe in the redu<Slion of Luceria. fiegedb^
And indeed the arrival of the viftorious army proved very Papirms,
feafonable; Papirius being diftreffed for provifions. The
di£tator difperfed his legions about the country, and by
thefe means facilitated the bringing of provifions to the
camp, and at the fame time intercepted the convoys that
were fent to the befieged. The Samnites, who had like-
wife an army near Luceria, finding it impoffible for the
befieged to hold out long, 'refolved to give the befiegers
battle, which Papirius did not decline ". While prepa- Atkrmt^'^
rations were making for a general a£tion, ambaifadors ar- eningmef-
rived from Tarentum, ordering both parties to (lop all ^^^'t^^
farther hoftilities, and protefting, that their (late would Unif.^*"*
declare againft that nation which Ihould obftinately perfift
in carrying on the war. Papirius was not a man to be
terrified with the menaces of the Tar^ntines : nevcrthelefs,
he pretended to pay a regard to them, and anfwercd the
amhafTadors, that he would confer with the didator.
The two generals had a conference 5 but it was only about
the moft proper meafures to be taken with relation to the
engagement. While the Romans were facrificing, as was
cuftomary beforS a battle, the ambafiadors came for their
anfwer. Papirius accofted them ; and with an air, which
(hewed how little he was affeftcd by the menaces of fo*
infignificant a people, ** The chickens (faid he^ feed
perfeftly well: the gods are alfo much pleafed with, our
facrifices : under their proteftion therefore we are going
to fight, as you perceive." He then led his troops out of
the camp, in order to engage the enemy ; but the Sam- Thg Sam^
jiites, being feized with a fudden terror at their approach, «//// <//-
declared that they would keep themfelves within their J'^'^^^
camp upon the defenfive, out of rcfpeft to the Taren- ^P^^^
tines. The legionaries, encouraged by this timorous con-
du£l of the enemy, attacked their entrenchments with
fuch vigour and refolution, that they foon forced them,
and put all to the fword who came in their way, fparing
neither men, children, flaves, nor even the beafts of
burden. Scarce any of the Samnites would have efcaped,
had not the generals reftrained the fury of the foldiers,
thirfty of blood, on account of the fix hundred knights in

> Idem ibid. cap. 13. n Li v. ibid.

Luceriai

tMktn.

mifispafs
under thi

John

f^^ The Rsman Hiftmy.

Luceria, whom the befieged, if reduced todcfpair, might
have pot to death, for the foke of having the barbarous
pleafure of facrificing them, before they perilhed them-
fclves \

Nothing now remained, in order to put a glorious end
to the campaign, but the redoftion of Laceria, which was
irigoroufly defended, both by the inhabitants, and thofe
Samnites who had efcaped from the battle, and taken re-
fuge in the befieged city ; among whom wa$, as fome au-
thors write % Pontius himfelf. But, notwithftanding this
reinforcement, the garrifon, being greatiy diftreflcd by
famine, offered to capitulate, and to releafe the fix hun-
dred hoftages, on condition that the Romans would raife
the (lege, tapirius peremptorily infifted, that all the fol-
dicrs in the place, to the number of fevcn thoufand, fhould,
unarmed, and with one garment each, pafs under the
yoke, and Pontius at the head of them. Thefe conditions
were accepted, and the Romans had the pleafure of re-
taliating upon Pontius and his Samnites the ignominy
which he had made them, and their confuls, undergo at
the Caudine Forks. But their greateft fatisfadlion wa$
the recovery of the hoftages, which had been delivered
np to the Samnites, as feciirities for the execution of a
Ihameful treaty p.

Next year Papirius was raifed to the confulate a third
time, and Q^Aulius Ceretanus a fecond time. The lat-
ter defeated the Samnites in Apulia, and nnade himfclf
mafter of Ferentum, which was either fubjcft to, or in
alliance with them. The former reduced Satricum, and
put all the Samnites, who were there in garrifon, to the
fword. The chief authors of the revolt were beheaded,
and a ftrong body of troops was left in thd place to keep
the inhabitants in awe. ' Papirius, after the redu£lion of
this important place, returned to Rome, where he re-
ceived the honours of a triumph, which he had not obtain-
ed the preceding year for greater exploits, becaufe he had
afted under the aufpices of a fuperior magiftrate. The
people were overjoyed to fee him enter Rome, with all
the pomp due to a man who had recovered the luftre of
7he tka- the Roman name 'J. Livy reprefents Papirius as a hero,
raBtrof who would have been a match for Alexander the Great,
Fapiriuf. haj} he attempted the conqueft of Italy. But be that as
it will, it is certain, that tio general in Italy e(]ualled him
in military ikill, or furpafied him in courage. He was

Ferenium
and Satri'
turn takiti
by the Rq'
mans*

n Liv. ibid. cap. 14. * Idem ibidt*

cap. 15. 9 Idem ibid. csp. i6.

F Idera ibid,
very

The Roman Htflory. 885

?efy remarkable for bis ftrei^th of body, and wonderful
fwiftnefs in running; whence he had the furname of
Curfor. He was a man of tall ftature^ and majeftic meiny .
kidefatigable in military labours, (haring with the com-
mon foldiers the fevereft toils erf war. No general ever
kept his troops to harder fervice. We are told, that hijS
cavalry having one day defired a little relaxation frona
their fatigues, after their return fioun a fuccefsful expe-
dition, he pleafaiuly anfwered ; ** Yes, by all means ;
nothing is more juft : when you alight from your horfcs,
I excnfe you from the trouble of ftroking their backs."
Suck was the character of the famous Papirius, a man
cekbrated by ail the Latin writers '.

In die following confulate of L. Plautius and M. Fot rhe Sam*
Kus, many of the Samnite cities fent dciputies to the Ro- nites obtaim
man Senate to fiie for peace ; but could only obtain si two ^ ^"^^
years truce. In Apulia th^ conful Plautius fpread fa y^^^^^^*^^*
much terro^r, that the ckies of Teanum and Canufuiin
forrendered, and gdve hoftages. At this time Capua was *
fo divided by inteftine broils, that tjie inhabitants deGred
the Romanis to give them a governor, and new laws to
keep them in order ; and it was op this occafion that th^ *
Romans turned Campania into a praefedure, and fent thi-.
ihier a praefeft. Two jaew tribes were formed this year,
one in Campaniai perhaps to make the Campanians fome
fort of amends for^heir liberty, which they had voluntas
rily given up ; this was called the Falernian tribe, no
doubt from the hill Falernus^ The other was eftablifhed
in the country watered by the Ufens, on the confines of
Latium ; and therefore called, tribus Ufentina } fo that thj$
Romans had now thirty-one tribes* which enjoyed the
right of fuffrage in the comitia •. This year ended with a
cenfus, taken by L. Papirius Crafius, and C Maeniu$^
cenfors 5 by which it appeared, that the number of men
in Rome fit to bear arms amounted to two hundred and
fifty tboufand.

The next year, Q^^nf>ilius and C. Juniusbeing confuls, Yr. of Fl.
all Apulia was fubdued ; fo that this year proved no lefe ao42,
pipfperous to the republic than the former. At the fame ^'^^^^ *
time Antium followed che example of Capua, in hatving u. C. 441.
rccoorfe to Ronfte for a governor and laws, which the re«» ..-
public readUy granted. The fucgeeding confuls, Sp. Nau- Apulia fuh^
tins and Popilius, no fooner entered upon their office, ^^*
th^n they wer^ obliged by the fenate* contrary to cuftom^

' VidcLiv. lib. ix. cap 17, i^, & AureL.Vift. d« Viris Illuilr,
' I'iv. lib. ix. cap. 10, Diod. Sic. lib. xx. *

to

tt6 , The Roman Hijlory.

to nominate adiftator to carry on the war. Perhaps the'
people had but an indifferent opinion of their ability in
military affairs. At leaft, it is tertaiii, that they did not
appear at the head of the army, but continued at Ronie
the whole time of their adminiltration. L. uSmiliusy who
was appointed di£tator, and named L. Fulvius his ge«
neral of the horfc, received the command of the legions
from the preceding confuU and with thofe troops began
the campaign, by laying fiege to Saticula, a city of Cam-
pania, in alliance with the Samnites, who came with a
ne Sam-' very numerous army to relieve the place. But the didator
mtisde- defeated them in a pitched battle; after which they
fiaud. abandoned their camp in the night, and left the Saticu-
lans without any hopes of relief. However, the befieged
made fuch a vigorous refiftance, that the di£lator{hip of
^milius expired before he could make himfelf mailer
of the place ^ The new confuls were, the famous Pa-
pi rius Curfor, and Publilius Philo, both chofen the fourth
time. They had triumphed more than once over the
Samnites, were men of diftinguifhed merit, and the
greateft and mod experienced generals the Romans had.
But, neverthelefs, they had the mortification to fee the
condu£t of the war committed to another general, while
they continued inglorious, and, in a manner, out of of-
fice, at Rome. Such mortifications are often given to
men of the greateft merit in popular governments. The
people obliged the confuls of the preceding year to raife
to the didlatorfhip Q^ Fabius Rulliaiius, who had been
formerly general of horfe to Papirius> and ever fince his
implacable enemy.
Pa^us The new diftator immediately fct out for Saticula,

dilator* where he received the command of the legions, not from
the confuls, but from -Smilius the diftator, whofe office
was expiring. No fooner had the Roman army changed
its general, than the Samnites, who, after their defeat,
^ had laid fiege to Pliftia^ a city in alliance with Rome, re-

turned to Saticula, in order to try their ftrength with the
new general. >^ Fabius, without being alarmed at the great
• number of their troops, continued his attacks with the

infantry, while his cavalry guarded the camp under the
command of Aulius Ceretanus, general of the horfe.
The Samnites having one day advanced to the very gates
of the camp, and there infulted the Roman cavalry, Au-
lius, without confulting the diflator, fallied out with the

' Liv. lib. ix« cap. ii«

Roman

^e Roman Hijlory. 287

Roman knights. This was a breach of difcipline, like
that which Fabius himfelf had been formerly guilty of,
Aulius at firft repulfed the enemy, but the Samnite ge-
neral rallied his troops, revived their courage, and led
them back to the charge. Aulius, difcovering him, rufhed
on him, and laid him dead with one blow. The Sam-
nites, not difheartened at the death of their general,
thought of nothing but revenge. Aulius, having pene-
trated too far into the enemy's fquadrons, could not re-
tire. The Samnites, having lurrounded him on all fides,
called upon their generars brother, that he might have
the glory of revenging his death. Accordingly, he dif-
mounted Aulius, and, full of rage, ftabbed him as he
lay on the ground. It was then thought a Cngular ho*
nour to get poffeffion of the body of a general who had
been-flain in battle: the Samnites, therefore, exerted
their utmoft efforts to carry off the. body of Aulius. The
Roman knights alighted from their horfes to recover it,
and fave Rome from reproach. The example of the Ro- 7*^^ y^ji,.
man cavalry was followed by the Samnites; fo that a nitesde-
battle was fought on foot, in which the Romans pre-Z^^'f*'^
vailed, and carried back to tHe camp the body of their ^^'!!f*
general ".

After tl^e lofs of the battle, the Samnites returned to SatUula
the fiQge of Pliftia, which they took by affault. Fabius '*^'* ^J
purfued that of -Saticula, which at length capitulated. ^^^^*
From Saticula the didlator marched to befiege Sora, a
city in the" country of the Volfci, which had declared for
the Samnites, after having maffacred a Roman colony fet^
tied in their territory. The Samnites, after the reduftion
of Pliftia, followed him ; a circumftance which Fabius no
fooner underftood, than he returned, and came to an en-
gagement with them, near the narrow pafs of Lentulae,
not far from the Pomptin marfhes. • Night put an end to
it, before either party could claim the vi£lory ; and both
armies next day continued their march to Sora, the one
to attack, the other to defend it. In the mean time, the
diftator, having, chofen a new general of the horfe, or-
dered him to go to Rome, to bring frefh levies from
thence, and, concealing his march from the enemy, to
\fait, in fome fecret place near Sora, the fignal for enter-
ing upon a£l;ion. The dictator's orders were obeyed, and
Fabius foon arrived with a ftrong reinforcement. The
didator, pretending fear, kept dole in his intrenchments,

U'Liv« ibid. cap. %%,

in

^8f{ TJ^ Roman Hifi^ry.

Thi Sam* in order to draw the enemy's army near his caflbp. At-
nites de- cordingly, the Samnites marched up to the vcjy ramparts
feated by when the Roman general^ without informing his legions
firatagim. ^£ ^^ fuccours Rome had fent, hung out a red ftaadard
over his tent, which was the fignal for battle. By the
frieht the didator had affeded to {hew, and his fuddea
relolution of giving battle, the foldiers thought them-
felves in great danger, and imagined they had no remedy
left but to make a furious fally on the enemy. The dic-
tator confirmed them in this opinion, by obferving, that
they mud either conquer or periih \ that he had ordered
fire to be fet to their baggage and teats ; but that they
ilnight foon make up the lofs, by the plunder of the cities
which had (haken off the Roman yoke, and joined die
enemy. However, be gave private orders to bum thofe
tents only which were next to the ramparts; and this
was the fignal for the general of the faorfe to put his
troops in motion, and fall upon the en^rn/s rear. As
every thing was executed with wonderful harmony, the
enemy was, at the fame tita:)e, attacked in the frcmt and
the rear with fuch fury, that they were forced to give
way, and leave the Romans not only mafters of the field,
but alfo of their camp, which was taken and plundered.
After this a£):ion, the dilator led his troops ba^k to their
own camp, where, to their great joy and furprize, they
found that only a fmall number of their teats had been
burnt ^.
Sora hi' Fabius, having thus defeated the enemy, laid liege to

fegtd \ Sora, which was continued by bis fuccefiors in the coo^-
mand of the army, M. Paetilius Libo and C. Sulpicios
Longus, the new confuls. We know not what motives
could induce the republic to difappoint Fabius of a tri-
umph, which be had well deferved, but did not obtain
on his return to Rome. The two confuls encamped clofe
to the walls of the beGeged city» in order to keep the
gurr.ifon continually alarmed \ but the inhabitants, not in
d;ie lead intimidated either by the nearnefs of the Ro»
mans, the number of their troops, or the late defeat dF
the Samnites, defended themfeWes with incredible bravery.
While the confuls were under great per plexity^ Jiot loiow-
ing in what part to make their attacks the walls being
every where well guarded, a deferter from the town came
to the Ronaan camp, and offered to put the place into
their bauds, with the help of ten ch^n m&n only. The

^ JUv. ibid, cup* %i%

cofifuls^

fie Roman Htfiaty: ftS^

Cohfals,' having examined and approved of bis fcheme^
removed, by his advice, their camp fome miles from the
city; a motion which lulled the garrifon rnto a falfe fe-
curity. Then the deferter, at the head of his ten men, MduAm
ftealing in the night-time into a part of the upper city, hfi^^^
where the wall was unguarded, becaufe thought inaccef- ^'"•*
fible, placed them in a narrow fteep path, leading from
the citadel to the lower town. This ftep being taken, he
ran down into the lower town, crying, ** To arms ! to
arms ! the enemy are in pofleflion of the fortrcfs/* The
inhabitants, feized with a panic, thought of nothing but
faving their lives by flight. Men and women, leaving .
their houfes, rufhed in confufion out at the gates, which
the Romans, on their approach, finding open, entered
the city without refiftance, and put all thofe to the fword
whom ihey found in the ftreets. The confuls fent the
authors of the revolt, and of the maflacrc of the Roman
colony, to Rome, where they were all, to the number of
two hundred and twenty^five, by an order from the fe-
nate, fcourged and beheaded *.

From Sora the cpnfuls marched into the country of the
Aufones; and, upon information that the people had
formed a defign to revolt, fent detachments to furprife
their three chief cities, Aufona, Minturhae, and Vefcia. 7hrei ti*
As the troops employed in this enterprize were out of ''''^/'^'
their commander's fight, they fet no bounds to their fury, ^'f^'rj •
The three cities were taken on the fame day, and at the gnidM* '*
fame hour : the Roman foldiers, having entered them un*»
der various difguifcs, deftroyed the inhabitants without
diftin&ion of fex or age, upon the bare fufpicion of a re-
bellion. Luceria, which had revolted, and maflacred the LnariM
colony which Rome had fent thither, was taken the fame rttakim
year by aflault ; and both the inhabitants, and Samnites,
who deiFended it, put to the fword. The fenate Was at
firft inclined to raze a city, which had fo often revolted j
but it was afterwards refolved, that a colony of two
thoufand five hundred men (hould be fent thither from
Rome, to fecure that important place, which kept all
Apulia in awe ^

The Campanians, notwithftandlng thcfe examples of
feverity, prepared once more to (hake off the Roman yoke.
Rome, therefore, thought fit to name a didator to keep
the inhabitants in fubjedion by arms, and the fear of an

X Liv. lib. ix. cap. 24. Diod. Sic. lib, xtXt x Liv. lib. ij|«

Vol. X. U tbfoloti

^99

C. WUtmu

^ki Sam-
mttis fvrr-

tkrowWf

mf it A great
bfi.

Severoi ci»
ties reco-
nftredfrfm
the. Sam^
nitee.

Tht SamoM Hifioryi

abfolttte magiftrate. C Maenius was raifed to diat Sg^
nity the fecond time ; and. he chofe the fame general o£
the horfe, M. Follius, whom he had named to that po0:
in his former di£lator(hip. The di^iator entered Campa-
nia, and encamped near Capu^^ while the conful Sulpi-
tiuS) at the head of another army, drew near Caudium,
\Brhere the Samnites waited for the infurre£iion of the
Campanians. The armies came foon to an engagement,
in which the Samnites were entirely defeated^ with the
lofs of thirty thoufand men killed or taken. After this
vl£^ory the conful marched to Bovianum, one of the chief*
cities of Samnium ; and, having pofted his troopa round
it in quarters of refrefliment^ returned to ilome^ whic]^
he entered in triumph *.

For the enfuing year L. Papirlus Curfor a fifth time,

and C. Junius Brutus a fecond time, were raifed to the

coufulate. Nevenhelefs a di£btor was nominated to carry

on the war againft the Samnites* The perfon honoured

with that dignity was C. Pxtilius Libo, furnamed Vifo

lus, who, having chofen M. Paetilius Libo, one of the

laft year's confuls, general of horfe, fet out for Bovianum,

where the legions were cantoned ; but in a ihort time he

quitted that poft to retake Fregellas, which the enemy

abandoned at his approach. After he had placed a ftrong

garrifon in it, he led his army againft Nola, which be

quickly reduced, together with the cities of Atina and.

Calatia, both in the f^^me province ^. The following

year, when M. Valerius Maximus, and F. Decius Mus,

were in. the confulate, the Romans,, being alarmed with

the apprehenfions of a war with all Hetruria,. appointed

. C. Sulpitius Longus di£lator to condud: it* But the He-

. trurians continuing quiet within their own bounds, no

hoftilities enfued on either fide, the di£l:ator being unwiU

llns to ftir up new enemies againft the republic.

The city was greatly difturbed by the innovations of
Appius Claudius, at this time cenfor. He was a man ez-
tiemely pofitive; had boldnefs enough to undertake any
dking, and ftea^inefs to maintain whatever he undertook.
He was an able civilian, and looked upon as the oracle of
Rome in difficult points of law ; a lover of reformation,
who took delight In overturning the moft ancient inftitu-
tions, and, fetting up for a legiflator. This man, in his
c^nforlhip, took, upon him to humble the pride of the fe-.
nate. It belonged to the cenfors to draw up, and read.

* Liv, lib. ix* cap. aj. Fafti Capitolin*

* Lit* ibid, cap* mS*
after

the Roman Sijhryu - :&9i

aftei^ evei^/ kiftrum^ a ]ift of thofe citizens w1k> tiad a
fight to fit and vote in the fenate. Hitherto none but pa- Vr. of FK
^iciansy ot the moft confiderable among the plebeians^ 204.7.
had )>een' admitted into it j but Appius introduced the ^"*^® ^^*'
libertini) that iS| the fons of thofe who, having beeil y^ c'Ia^.
Saves, had obtained their liberty* Having thus debafed *

the feaate, he attacked the prieftfaopd, which was con- Appius ad»
fined to the nobility alone **. The moft ancient prieft- f^its the
hood in Rome was that of the temple of Hercules, and fi^^^f
of th«' altar which had been confecrated to him, under *^J^ 7ure»
the n/SMIiQ of ara maxima^ by Evander, in memory of his natet and
iriAory over Cacus. This priefthood, when firft infti- debafes thg
tuted> had been conferred upon a revepcnd old man of prieflhood.
the Aborigines, named Potititis^ and had continued ever
'fince in his family; but Appius prevailed upon the Po«-
titii to refign this venerable priefthood to the flaves be-
longing to the public, a moft contemptible race of meh.
By thefe means he gave the nobility a fatal blow, the
priefthood being the only dignity which the plebeians at
this time did not (hare with the patricians ^. Thus Ap-
piqs brought a blemifh on the fenate and priefthood ; bul:
made bis country amends by the ufeful works he under-
toot with fuccefs ; for, by an aqueduft feven miles long, ^'' ^y*'-
he fupplied Rome with plenty of wholefome water ; and f"^ ^"'^
.made the famous road from Rome to Capua, which lafted '^ '"'^*
entire above eight hundred years •*. The remains of this
wonderful work are ijill the admiration of all the nations
in Europe. (Q^).

The
^ Liv« lib. ix. cap* t$, c Lit. ibid, cat^• «9t ^ Id. ibid;

( Q^) The aquedu6tof Ap- curiion of her enemies, who

pi us began feven miles from might, have deftroyed the ftate-

Rome, and, after having run ly arches, and intercepted the

a great way under ground, dif- water. This water was for

charged part of its waters be- many ages called aqua Appia,

tween the gates Capena and from the cenfor's name. The

Trigemina, and conveyed the other work he undertook was

reft quite to the Campus Mar- equally uftful to the republic,

tius. It was dug iinder-ground, The road from Rome to Capu$

and laid very deep, fays Fron- was almoft imjpaflable, d'p^-

tinus (i), either becaufe the cially for the Roman armies,

art of levelling was not then which were often obliged to

brought to perfedHon ; or be- crofs the Pomptin marihes, to

caufe the Roman territory was make war in Samnium, and in

too much expofed to the in- the eaft of Italy; Thle cen*

( i> Frontin. d^ Aqused u2iibus,

U 2 for.

^9%

Tkefnait

its/ormtr

dignitj.

Tbi Rman Hiftory.

The fiicceeding confuls, C. Junius Brutus a third tiixf^
and (^iEmilius Barbula a fecond time, cancelled^ witk
the confent and approbation of the people, the lift of fe-
nators which Appius had made> and reftored that body
to its former luftre. This fame year the people recovered
a privilege which the confuls and dilators had ufurped.
A law bad been formerly made^ by which the people,
aflembled in the comitia» were empowered to choofe
fix legionary tribunes (R) out of the twenty-four in the

confular

fium, that is, two hundred
thirty-eight miles farther. But
no hiftorian tells us who was
the author or manager of this
fecond work. Moft writers
believe, that it was done by
Julius Csefar; for Plutarch
fiiys, that the Roman people
committed the infpe^on of
the Apptan Way to him, and
that he fpent great fums of
money upon that work. The
Appian Way is iUil in many
places as entire as when it was
nril made (3). It was paved
with feveral beds of great
ftones, and bounded on each
fide with a deep ditch^ to re*
ccive and carry off the water,

(R) There were, generally
fpeakin^, fix legionary tri*
bunes in each legion, which
they commanded by turns ;
that is, firfiy two of thefe tri-
bunes commanded in chief at
a time> and then were fucceed*
ed by two others; and £6
round. Varro tells us, that
thefe officers were called tri-
bunes from the beginning of
the monarchy, becaufe a le«
^on then confided of three
tfaoufand men only, and had
but three tribunes, there being
as many legionary tribunes as
thoufands of 'men in each le«
gion. Polybius tells us, that^

for, therefore, levelled a way
through rocks and hills, and
built bridges over the ri-
vulets and marfhes, for the
convcniency of the troops, and
of travellers. This road was
called the Appian Way, and
alfo the Queen of Roads. Pro-
copius» gives us the following
dcfcription of it (2) : " This
way was made, fays he, nine
hundred years ago, by the or-
der and dire6tion ot Appius
Claudius, who was then cen-
ibr. It reached from Rome to
Capua, that is, about a hun*
dred and forty-two miles. It
was broad enough for two cha-
riots to go abreaft, without in-
commoding each other. The
llones which Appius employed
in this great work were brought
from a great diflance, and as
hard as fiints. Thefe great
pieces of rock were fquared
and fmoothed by the mott Ikil-
ful workmen. The ftones
were fo artfully joined toge-
ther, without any cement, that
they looked like one fingle
llone for feveral miles together.
This vaft work continues en-
tire to this day, without hav-
ing received the leaft injury
from carts and carriages." In
the beginning of Auguftus's
reign. It reached to Brundu-

(2) Piocop. de Bell. Gothic. lib« i.
Letters^ Letter iv.

(3) SeeDr.BttrRet*a

The Roman Hiftory.

293

Duumviri

.^onfular armieSy confifting of four legions. Eacli ^onful
had two legions under his command, which made a con-
fular army ; and each legion was commanded by fix tri-*
bunes. The generals hadforfome time nominated all the
legionary tribunes, without regard to the right of the
people. L. Attilius, therefore, and C Marcius, two tri- New r#.
bunes of the people, got a decree pafled in the comitia, ^ulationu
empowering the people not only to choofe fix tribunes, as
formerly, but fixteen out of the twenty-four: but this
law was not of long duration. Though the republic at
thi§ time has no employment for a fleet, yet the people^
at the motion of Decius Mus, one of their tribunes, ap-
pointed two officers, flyled by the Latin hiftorians duum-
viri navales, to fuperintend naval affairs ^.

In the mean time the two confuk took the field, Bru«
tus againft the Samnites, and ^milius againft the Hetru-
rians. The latter found the enemy ready to lay fiege to
Sutrium with a very numerous army, all the lucumonies,
except that of Arctium, having furniihed their con-
tingents of troops. The conful no fooner appeared than
the Hetrurians, depending on their numbers, ofiered him
battle, which ^milius did not decline. Both Romans
and Hetrurians behaved with extraordinary courage and
refolution. The latter, being obftinately bent to conquer
OT die, fell in great numbers round their colours, with-
out giving ground, or being put in diforder. The battle
lafted till night, when both armies retired in good order
to their refpediive camps. But as the Hetrurians had loft
more men than the Romans, they thought fit to decamp
in the nigbt, and leavp the conful mafter of the field ^ (S).

e Liv^ lib^ ix. cap. ysp ^ Idem ibid*

af the tweu^-four tribunes difciplioe became more regu-

who were in each ponfular lar.

army, confifting of two legionp, (S) Livy deprives iEmiliut

fourteen were chofen out oi of the glory of a triumph for

the equites or knights, who this vidtory, which he reprc-

had ferved five years, and the fents as very inconfiderable ;

other ten out of fuch as had but it is certain^ from the Ca-

The /?«-
moHS and

ferved in the foot full ten
years. The former were call-
ed tribuni juniores, and the
latter tribuni feniores* But
thefe qualifications were not

pitoline marbles, that he en-
tered Rome triumphantly on
the ides of the month Scxti-
lis (4) ; whence we areinclin-
ed to think, that this victory
rigoroully infifted on till the was more complete than that
later ages, when the Roman writer makes it. .
(4} Fafti Capitol.

U3 The

Clu*uiaand

Bo*vtanum

taken*

Junius
Brutus
gi*ves tht
Samnites
a great o-

VThe Hetru'
rians are
defeated hy
fabius%

The Roman Miftory.

The other conful took from the Samnites iQixvia and
fiovianum. All thofe in the formed, who were able to
bear arms, were pat to the ifword ; the latter was givea
to be plundered by the foldiera, but the dives of the citi-
»ens were fpared. The Samnites had now ao refuge )nit
in artifice ; they endeavoured once jnore to ^entrap the
{lomans, and with this view fpread a report m die Ro*
man camp) that they had conveyed all their ipreirifions and
effefb into the foi^ of Avemus, between -Ciimx ^bsA
Futeoli in Campania. The RosDian troops, allured by 4iie
hopes pf booty, entered the foreft, where they were aU
furroimded by the enemy's fdtrces, who lay concealed
among the bufheq. But the legions, rallying in an in*
ftant, threw all their baggage into an heap ; and, with-
out waiting for the word of conmiand, drew up in bat-
talia ; then falling upon the enemy, obliged them to feek
an afylum in thofe, very woods which 'diey intended to
)iave rendered fatal to the Romans. . As the Samnites
could not retire on account oif the brambles, and thickneft
of the foreft, the Romans le£t twenty 4iioui&ind of them
dead upoh the fpot <, For this vi£)x>ry Junius firutos en-
joyed the honours of a. triumph, on the sioiies of liie
month Sextilis \ During tire adminiftration of the fol-
lowing confuls, Q^Fabius a fecond time, and C. Martins,
the cenfor Appius d>ftinmtely refufed to quit fais office,
ihough his eighteen months, the legal time lor its dunk
tion, were expined, prefmning on the favour of the peo-
)>le, who were greatly pleafed with his aquednd and new
foad. Nevercheleis Semproaios Sophus cited (faim to ap-
pear before the peopk for this infradHon of the law.
Seven of the tribunes were for committing him to pri-
fon \ but the other three taking Tiim under their protec-
tion, he carried his poitit, and retained the cei^forfbip
alone (his colleague having refigned it in compliance with
the law) more than three years longer.

During thefe difturbances, the Hetrurians encamped
In the neighbourhood of Sixtrium. The conful Fabiu^
falling upon * them, gave them a tptal overthrow, took
thirty-eight ftandards, and ma4e himfelf mafter of their
icamp and all their b^gage. Thofe who efcjrped the
flaughter ^ok refuge in the Ciminian fofeft. Fabitispro-
pofed, in a /council of war^ to ptirfue the conquered even
Hito the moft impenetrable parts of the wood ; but not one
officer was difpofed to march in queil of the HetrurianS|

Liv. lib, ix. c^pr 3t*

^ F^SC\ Capitol.

at

Tj^e Roman Hiftory. ^^295

at tlie Tiazafd of finding the Cau4ine Forks of Samnium in
Hetruria. The Ciminian foreft was, at that time, mote
impsiTable and dreadful than the Hercyniah foreft in
Getrtiany. Nobody, not even thfe merchants, had ever
atftemplsd to pafs through it. However, Fabiiis refolved nvhpene^
to enter it, thinking his viftory was not complete while trausinf
Ae enemy could conceal themfelves in this foreft. He '^Z^""'
4iaa %ben with him. a near reb^on, C«ib FAius, who, ^^^^^^^f'
knowing perfe£Hy well the Hetrurian language, as he had
been dltrcated at Ciabre, undertook to examine the foreft,
«nd all its avenues. He took only dne flave with him,
Whb had learnt the; language of tbe country, as well as
hirhfelf. They difguiffed- themfelves in the habit of flicp-
herds, bearing each a hatchet and two javeKns, after the
tnannerof peafants^ but their chief fecurity againft a dif- .
co^ery was, the general notion, that nb ftranger wouM
* dare to enter that foreft. In this dilgu^e they travelled
as fer as Camerinum in Umbria, where Fabius, difcover-
ing himfelf lb' be a Rortian, treated with the magiftrat6s
of thft ^acte, *n the name of the conful, and obtained a
'prdinffes'thiat if the Roman army fhoiild advance to thofc .
part's, threy would fupply it with a reinforcement of men,
and ptdviGons for thirty days. Upon the report made by
Fabius at his return^ the conful refolvcd to enter the
foreft, iind carry the war into the very heart of Hetruria ; omd^pnt
a ddign which he executed with fingular address. He ^x^^^^^
-ordered -all his baggage to be removed out of the camp in
the evening, and the infantry to follow it to a place where
\tt iefigned to enter the foreft. He himfclf continued in
-the entrenchments with \he cavalry, whidi he led early in
the motnirig to the Ikirts of the wood, where the enemy
had placed fome centinels. Having by thefe means kept
the enemy in fufpence, he returned, after fome flight
ikirmilhes, to his camp ; but fot>n marched out of it again,
by another gate, to join his infantrv, wbicH he came up
with before night, and, together with them, entered the
marrow pafles on the oppofite fide to the enemy.
• Kekt morning, by day-break, he reached the top of the
hiir Ciminus, which gave name to the foreft. From thence ^

he furveyed with pleafure the vaft and fruitful plains of *
Hetruria. He was not a little pleafed with having broken
through a barrier, which had been hitherto impenetrable
to the Romans, and promifed himfelf much fpoil and
» great conqucfts. Froih Mount Ciminus he fent a detach-
ment of legionaries, who not only brought off an inunenfe
booty, but defeated a tumultuous army, which had ^

U 4 aflembled

^$

fTtiHetrU'
ri(ifi4 over*
comity
Miuh

TAi Sam*
nitti gain
confider
{ikii ad'
nfantages.

Tie Roman Htfiory.

gflembled to refcue it out of their hands* .After this ev
pedition Fabius returned to his camp^ where he found two
tribunes of the people, fent thither to forbid hinij in the
name of the fei^ate and people, to venture upon fo dan-
gerous an expedition. The tribunes, extremely pleaied
to find that the prohibition was come too late, and that
the fuccefs of the projedl had put an end to the public
fears, returned to Rome with the joyful tidings, that a
way was opened into Hetruria^

The detachments which Fabius had fent out to plunder,
haying alarmed all Hetruria, and the people on the con-
fines of that country, thefc two nations took the field to-
.gether, and advanced to the camp before Sutrium, where
they formedin the plain, and offered the Romans battle^
But Fabius, pretending fear, kept clofe within his en-
trenchments* Having thus excited the enemy's prefump-
tion, he drew up his men, about the fourth watch of the
night, within the entrenchment of the camp, caufedthe
ramparts to be levelled, and the ditch to be filled ; then
marching put, furprifed the enemy while half afleep, and
lyiqg fcattered over the plain. Of the Hetrurians fix^
tnouiand men were (lain, or taken prifoners* Their
camp was feized and plundered, tbofe who had the good
fortune to efcape flying to the wood. This overthrow was
fo'great, that the three lucumonies of Cortona, Aretium,
and Perufia, immediately fent deputies to Rome, to
folicit a fufpenfion of arms, which they obtained for
thirty years ^,

The conful Marcius was not attended with the fame
fuccefs againft the Samnites ; for though at firft he gained
(bme advantages over them, and took AUifse, a confider-
able place on the Vulturnus, with feveral other caftles and
villages, he had the mortification to hear of the misfortune
which befel the Roman fleet, the firft Rome had ever put
to fea. It was commanded by P, Cornelius, who having
made a defcent at Pompeia, beyond cape Palinurus, fuf-
fered his troops to penetrate too /ar into the country, fo
that the inhabitants had time to aflemble and cut oflF their
retreat. The Romans were forced to relinquilh their
booty J many were flain, and thofe who efcaped were
driven to their ihips. This advantage, with a report
fpread among the Samnites, that Fabius had met with the
Caudinc Forks in the Ciminian foreft, revived their cou-
rage to fucb a degree, that they gave Marcius battel

* W?. lib. ix. cap. 34, %i. k i^^-n,^ jbij, cap. 37,

which

The Roman Hiflcry. 297

which is allowed by all hiftorians to have been a Verf
bloody one, and to have coft both parties very dear. A
great number of the knights, and feveral legionary tri-
bunes, were killed; one of the lieutenant-generals was
left dead upon the fpot, and the conful was dangerouily
wounded. In order, therefore, to prevent any fatal con-
fequences from this misfortune, the repubhc judged it
neceflary to choofe a di^iator ; and wiflied to have that
important office conferred upon Papirius Curfor, whofe
fate it was to be the refuge of bis country. The difficulty
was how to eiFedt his nomination. It was doubted whether
the conful Marcius was alive \ and, befides, the Samnites
bad ftopped up all the avenues to his camp. It was much
queftioned whether Fabius could be prevailed upon to
raife his mortal enemy to the di£tatorfliip, and whether
Papirius would accept .of that dignity from the hands of
his old rival in glory. Under thefe difficu^ies the fenate
paffeda decree, commanding Fabius to ^ nominate Papi-
rius to the difiatorlhip, and enjoining Papirius to accept
it. This decree was fent by the fenate to Fabius's camp at
Stttrium, with a deputation of their own body, confilltng
of fuch perfons as had all been confuls. When tbey read
to him the decree of the fenate, he was flruck with fur-
prize and confufion ; but kept his temper, and retired to
his tent without coming to any determination. At length,
his love for his counti^y getting the better of his private
refentment, at midnight, according to the fuperftitious
cu(^om, he declared Papirius di£lator ; who, having ap- Papirim
pointed C. Junius Bubulcus to be mafter of the horfe, ^.f^
marched with an army, which had been ftiddenly raifed ^^^^'
upon the alarm of Fabius's danger in paffing the Ciminian
foreft, and arrived at Longula, on the frontiers of the
Volfci» where Marcius delivered to him the rroops under
his command. Papirius offered the enemy battle ; but
they declining it, both sirmies. continued fome days quiet
in their camps, watching each other K

In the mean time Fabius, who was continued in the
command of the army in Hetruria, with the title of pro-
conful, carried the war into Umbria, at that time in alli-
ance with the Hetrurians, and gained** a complete vi£iory Mws
over the Umbrians. While Fabius was waging war in ^^j^^
Umbria, the Hetrurians affembled the mcS numerous ^^^ri^
army they had ever raifed, on the banks of a lake called over tkt
Vadixnooius. All the foldiejs, who compofed it, had Umbrumt.

i Mv. li^. ix. cap. jSr

made

"9^ S'ife Roman Rijlofy.

made a tow to coiK{tier or die : at leslt this is fuppoGed to
he tbe meaning of their Sacred Law, by which -they aie
laid to have bound themielves. But, whatever we usder- ^
ftand by it, it is certain, thaft the Hetmrians &ew«d, bf
«ibeir obftinacy in maintaining the fight, how mtith power
their facred law had over their tniads. What kdped to
promote unanimity, and create cmalatioiiy among tiick
)troDp$, was tbe kvve which was given to erery private
jnan to chooie honfeif a compafeiMm to iigbt by hinu ftm
'f abiQs was not arfraid to engsge an enemy who had even
made it a point of rel%ion not to give way. Both araiies
were fb intent on trying each other's Arength, cbat> as
.'foon as they drew near, they onflied ttfon one another
iword in hand, without lofing tim^ in throwing darts, as
was nfnal, by way of. prelude to the battle. . Tbe liicce&
.was lone doubtful, and this unceotagicy inereafed tlie at-
'dottr of both ^pdesi The Romans .cocdd fcaroe believe^
•that they were* contending with the fame people diey bifi
fo often conquered. On the fide, of tke Komans, their
:firft line was oat ^ m piecesi and the fecond 'Vtpulftd ; ib
that the pioconful wias obliged to tntiii^ .has triani'i^^the
;charge, an expedient never ufed but in the utmoft extre-
-mhy. Nor was even this fufficient; it became neoeflaiy
Jor the Roman mraby to difinount^ and f1^)port the foot.
But when the Romam knights, who were quite fireflh paff-
iag over heaps of dead bodies, hod plac^ themselves in
the front of the battle, they afiaidted the enony with
fiich fury, that tbe hitter began to give way. Then the
legions, fliattered and fatigued as id>ey were, returned to *
^h^tiehm' tte- charge, owenpowered the. enemy, and obKged i^eir
^^'J|J''''"'army to fly in the utmoft diforder and confufiovi. Tlic
^obiM. Hetrurians loft the flower of their youth in tihis adion ;
their camp was taken and plvndered^ and their wfaote na-
tion thrown into the utmoAeonftemiaaiOn °*.

Tbe di£tator Fapiriuswas no^kf&faccef^rfid aoamft tbe
Samnites, whofe general, to raife the courage of his ttien,
had given them fuier arms than afual. He divided his
army into tvm bodies, one of Aiv!hich he clothed in ftufip of
-various colours, «d furnifbed with gilt btt(Ue;rs; the
other was armed mth filveted bucklers, and cladin white
habits. That/this novelty mi^tnot furprife the Roman
. foldiers, their officers obferved, that true glory .confiftod
-in martial courage^ that gold aiui £lver were of no Qfe va
hattle ^ot'to omch the conquerors^ and that tdide who^

"* Liv. lib. ix, cap. 3^ 4^ Flor. lib. i.

at

The Romai Sijhryu o^f

at rt>c beginning of an engagement were the pooreft, often
pFOved the richeft as the end of the conftift. • The officers
having thus raifed the courage of rtieir tncn iwith the hopes
of 'booty, Papirius formed his 'afrmy in the plain* -He
iiimfetf commanded the right -wing ; and his general of
liorfe, Junius BubiTlcus, the left, which faced the white
battalions. Bubulcus, advancing with his legions, criefl Papirius
out, ** I devote all thefe white men to the blacl^ Pluto f gains a
and immediately forced them to gitre ground: the diftatot '^^^^/^
t)bfervingthc advantage, exclaimed, "** What ! will you, ^Simnius*
who have a diftator at your head, ftrfFer the chief glory
of the aftion to be gained by smoAer?" Thisfaitl, he
preffed the foldiers to advance, and ecouragcd them with
his example. At the fame time his two lieucenaitts, M.
Valerius on the right, and P. Decius on the left, who haft
both commanded armies in chief as confols, . putting
ifhettifelves at the head of the cavaflry, each on his own fide,
;attadked the enemy in 'flank with great "ftiry. Then tSife '. '

Sjimnites, fei^ed'wlrti terror, Hedwith a?l Tpccd to their
ipainp» ' The plain was covered vnth gilt and filvercd arm$,
a«id dead bodies ^n white cloth', arid ftuffs of vjirbus co-
iotirs. ' The viOiory was fo cowg)letc, that the Samnites
flfbafidone'd flieit camp, which before night was taken and
turnft. Papifitis, having thus retrieved the glory of the *

4lottian arms in Samnium, returned to Rome, where lie
was detreed a triumph, wbiqh was adorned with the ridh
arms he had taken from'the Samnites. About the 'feme
time Fabius arrived from Hetturi^, tind triumphed alfo*
Papirius, after *his triumph, rctireid for the reft of his life
from public bufmcfs. The circutriftanCes and time of 'hte
death are unknown ; but all agree, that in him Rome loft
^ne of the greateft generals fte ever had ".

When Papirius*s diftatorfliip was expired, Q^Pabrui tfhe
third time, and Decius Musmefecond time, wet-e raifeft
to the confulate, Samnium fell by lot to the formef, and
'Hetruria to the latter. Pabius took Nuceria, which had Nuaria
Tome time fince joined the Samnites ; whom he defeated taken from
afterwards in a battle, but without gaining any great ad- ^\' ^^«*-
vantage over them. Decius was attenjied with fuch fuc- *^^'^'
fcefs in Hetruria, that the wholi nation defired an alliance
"wlthHome : but as the way was now open for making the
conqueft of this rich country, the conful granted them .
only a truce for one year ; and even that coft them dear:
for Decius obliged them to pay his troops, and furnifli

^IM.V&iAx* cap. 39, 40. 'Fafti Capitol.

every

^Od V^^ Roman Htftoryl

every foldier with two fuits of cloaths. While all itr«s
quiet in Het^uria, the Uinbrians> having armed all their

5outh9 formed a defign of marching dire£lly to Rcnne*
?hi8 projeft put both the confuls in motion. The pra-
dent DeciuSy leaving Hetruriat by long marches en^
camped in a place csdled the Pupinian field, lying in the
way between Umbria aud Romcy and there quietly
waited for the arrival of the enemy. But the bold and
enterprifing Fabius no fooner received orders from the fe-
nate to cover Latium, than he left Samnium, crofied Sa^
biniaj and, entering Umbria, encamped near a city called
Mevania, on the banks of the Clitumnus. His fuddea
and unexpe£ted appearance fo terrified them, that fome
retired intp ftrong fituations, and others fled to the woods.
However, a confiderable body of the moft refolute had
courage enough to ofier the conful battle, in which they
^f Urn* behaved more like women than men. The Romans, ru£b-
*"*"'a '"8 upon them, beat them down with their bucklers, with-
^f^W^ out making ufc of their fwords. They even furrounded
whole bodies of troops, and made them prifoners, without
ilriking a blow ; for the words, •* Lay down your arms,*
were no fooner heard in the ranks, than they all obeyed, and
even delivered up to Fabius the authors of the war. So that
little or no blood was fpilt ; but the whole army were made
prifoners, and the reft of the nation foon after fubmitted
to Rome. After this ei^ploit, Fabius haftened back to Sam^
nium, to oppofe the enterprises of that warlike people *•
Jpt*^, ' When, the time came for ele^ing new confuls, Appius
^M(mcoM' Claudius, who had kept the cenforSiip five years in defi-
jyf * ance to the laws, ftood candidate for the confulato. He
was no foldier, and it feemed very improper at that time
to be (low the fafces upon any but great commander&
However, Appius, being fupported by the people, was pro-
moted to the confulatc the*firft time with L. Voliunnius
Flamma. As he was not qualified for the command d
the army, the fenate obliged him to continue in the city,
and left Fabius, in quality of prpeonful, at the head of the
army which he had commanded the year before. Appius,
upon what motives we know not, did all that lay in his
power to prevent Fabius f j^om having the fole command of
the army, and advifed the fenate to appoint him a col-
league. But his propofal was reje£led ; and Fabius con-
tinued without any affociate in the command of all the
troops in Samnium,- where he. made the campaign with

* Liv. liv. ix. cap. 41. Diodior. SicoL lib* six*

great

The Roman Hiftory^ 301

^reat fucoefs. The Samnites had advanced as far as Al«
lifae, on the banks of the Vulturnus, and there the pro- ^ Fabhu
conful attacked themj and gained a complete victory- gaint a
The conquered fled to their camp* which Fabius, as the ^omf^ku
day was already far advanced, did not attack, but kept '^^'O
it invefted all night* Early next morning, while he was ^SMuaiui.
preparing to force it» the Samnites thought fit to capitulate,
and furrender upon articles ; the chief of which was, that
all the natives of Samnium ihould have their lives fpared,
and be fent home ; but that they Ihould march out of the
camp with only one garment^ and pafs under the yoke.
As for the allies of the Samnites, the proconful made no
terms with them ; fo that they were all, to the number of
feven thoufand, made flayes, and fold by audion. The
Hernici were feparated from the reft, and fent to Rome
to be examined, whether they had jbined the Samnites
as volunteers, or by a public order of their nation. The
fenate, after having examined them, kept them as flaves,
;ind diftributed them about in the villages and municipal
towns near Rome p.

While Fabius was thus employed againft the Samnites,
the conful Volumnius made war on the Salentines in the
fartheft part of Italy ; with whom he fought fome fuccefs-
ful battles, and enabled his fucceflbrs to make an entire
conqueft of that fruitful country. In the mean time the
confular year being expired, the fafces were transferred
to Q^Marcius Tremulus, and F« Cornelius Arvina, and
at the fame time Appius was created praetor j a poft
which, as he was an able civilian, and eloquent orator,
well fuited his talents. Marcius marched againft the*
Hernici, who had taken up arms, provoked at the fevere
treatment which fome of their countryment, made pri-
foners in the late battle with the Samnites, had met with
at Rome* The Hernici, formerly fo formidable, were Yr, of fi.
now become a contemptible people ; for Marciu^, in a «05i.
few days, obliged them to furrender at difcifetion. The Ante Chr.
conful, having ended this war, baftened to join his col- u C^ I s
league, who wanted his afiiftance, having fuffered him- * * ,
felf to be invefted by the Samnites in narrow pafles, where TAiHtr*
all his convoys were intercepted. The enemv, hearing of nidfub*
his march, went to meet him, and^ave him oattle, while ^'^^
his troops were fatigued with long marches, and in fome
diforder* The battle began with the ufual fury of men
under a neceiBty of conquering or dying ; both the Sam-

p Li?, lib. ix. cap* 4t.

nitet

3««

f^e RofHM'

nites and Romans fighting with incredible refidutbfl*
As the attack was made not far from the (^mp of Corne-
lius, by the fiiouts he heard, anfl the clouds of duft
• which were raifed, he judged, that his colleague was en-
gaged with the enemy. He therefore, immediately or-
dered his troops to arms, marched out of his entrench-
ments, and, falling upon the enemy in flank, made his
way to their camp, and fet fire to it. At fight of the
flames the Samnites were fo difcouraged, that they fled.
The Romans purfued, cut them in pieces, till they were
^hi Sam- tired with flaughter, and then returned to their camp. In
Mites iU- this aftion the Samnites loft thirty thoufond men. While
ftatid. ^g Roman generals were congratulatihg each other <m
their yiflory, advice m^s brought, that a frefli body of
Samnites appeared near the field of battle. Thefe were
new levies fent to recruit jihe army. They no fooner ap-
. peared, than the vi£h>rious legions^ forgetting the dtigues
they had already undergone, aflfembled before they bad
received the confuPs order, drew up in battalia, and di£-
perfed them with great flaughter. The Samnites fent de-
puties to the confuls, to fue for peace. The confuls re-
ferred the fuppliants to Rome, after having obliged the
vanquifhed to fupply, by way of preliminary, the two ar^
itiies with three months provifions, to give them a yearns
pay, and furnifli each foldier with one habit ^.

The two confuls being in the field, when the time came
for ele£):ing new magiftrates, P. Cornelius, furnamed
Barbatus, was appointed di£lator to prefide in the comitia.
He chofe Decius Mus for his general of the horfe ; and
the people elefted Pofthumius Megillus and Tib. Sffino-
TAefateof cius Augurinus for their next year's confuls. At the
M# HirnUi fame time the fenate determined the fate of the HemicL
^ttrmmed. The cities of Alatrium, Ferentinum, and Verulum, which
had continued faithful to the Romans, were allowed to
chpofe, whether they would be governed by their own
laws, or have the right of Ronlan citizens ; and they pre-
ferred the former part of. the alternative. The inhabi-
tants of the other cities were obliged to be governed by
the laws of Rome> and declared Roman citizens^ but
without the right of fufFrage, They were forbid to hold
any affemblies, or to marry out of their own citdes. This
law the Romans ufed to impofe on conquered nations, to
prevent a too ftrid union among them. At this tinte de-
puties arrived from . Carthage, .with a compliment and
prefents : thefe the republic accepted^ and made others

9 Liv. lib. ix« cap. 43.

in

Hhe Roman Hifiory^ * ^^

m: j»to^ The new conliib were ordered into S«m-
nisndt. each> al the heasii of a eonfular army^ that is, oi
an acmj oonfiftiag oftnnro legions '•

TheSammtes, notwkhftandiog their lofies» had enter- ?^^5«9i«-
ed Campania, and laid wafl]e the fruitful country of Fa- nita4mtr
lemum. Maccius therefore encamped in the neighbour- ^^^P^^^h-
hood> of Bovianum ;. and Pofthumius took his route to-
wacd«r Tifecnum. TKe latter came to an engagement with
the Smnflites» the fuccefis of which being equal, Pofthu*-
nftius pretended to he woriled ; and, in. ocder to deceive
theeoemy^ decamped in the nighi-time, and retired to.
the moantains. The Samnites followed, and pofted
t^teasi&ives within two miles of his camp. Pofthumius^
tiaving finiflied his entcencbmeats with die utmoft di£-:
patx:h^ and left a fofficient number of ti^ops to defend
them^ maiched out at midnight vtnth the reflof his army,
and joined his colleague Minucius> who. lay in fight o£
another body of Samaiies. Minucius, being thus rein-.
forced^ marched with. his twO legions alone into the plain^
and ofieied the enemy battle ;. which they accepted^ not
kno<wihg that the odier conful was arrived* The vi£l:orf
was di^t^ed with great warmth on both fides. But when btd are de*
the Samnites were much fatigued, Pofthumius and his /^<>^^*
troops falling upon them with frefli vigour, they were
forced to fave themfclves by flight. The Romans made a.*
dreaiifal ilaughter, a»d took one-and-twenty enfigns.
After this vifibory the confuls led their vidorious troops tO'
Poftihumius's camp, and from thence fallied out upon the
body of Samnites^ which was pofted there. This battle
was more bloody than the former ; the conful Minucius Tkt catfiii
was kiUed, aifid Statius Gellius, the Samnite general, ^''^/^
made prifoner. At length the Romans prevailed, and
took twenty-fix enfigns from the enemy ^ Upon the
news of Minucitts's death, the people at Rome immedi-
atelf appointed Fulvius Curvus to fucceed him, who took
Bovianum, and other cities, for which he triumphed on
bis remrn to Rome. Why Pofthumius, who feeras to
hai^ defended the fame honour, did not triumph with
bim, we know not (T). In the fucoeeding confulate of

r Liv. lib. ix« cap. 44. • Idem ibid.

(T) The Fa^ Capitolini do with Minucius, who was kill-

QOt allow him. this honour, ed in the battle (i), we have

though Livy. does; but ^s that followed the Fafti.
author makes him triumph

(0 Liv. lib. ix. cap. 44.

Sempronius

S04

nt Sam-
mies obtain
m renewal
9f their «/•
kaace wth

neJEqui

^. Fah/us

acquires
thtfur-
name of
^Aaximus.

^he Rotnan Hyhryl

Sempl'onius.Sophus and P. Sulpicius Saverrio, the SanH
mtes> exhaufted with the war, fent deputies to Rome, to
deiire a renewal of their ancient confederacy with the re-
public. The fenate granted them their requeft, after thejr
had given proofs of their fincerity^ by receiving the con-
fular army under the command of Sempronius with re-
fpefly and fupplied the troops with proviuons. The ccmi-
fuls, being now difengaged from theSamnitic war, march-
ed againft the iEqui, who, feduced by the bad example
of the Hernici, had declared againft Rome, and joined
the Samnites. They were no more that formidable na-
tion, which had often ftruck terror into the Roman le*
gions ; ina£lion had fo enervated them, that they had not
courage to keep the field \ but (heltered themfelves be-
hind the walls of their cities, which the two confular ar-
mies invefted, over-running their country, and laying it
wafte. The conquerors made thcmfelves matters of foN
ty-one towns in fifty days, moft of which they rafed or
burnt, and therebv almoft exterminated the whole nation
of the ^qui. Tnefe rapid conquefts fpread fuch terror
among the neighbouring nations, that the Marfi, Pe%-
ni, Frentani, and Marrucini, demanded an alliance with
Rome, which they eafily obtained. By this memorable
expedition the confuls merited and obtained the honours
of a triumph ^

Q^Fabius, being this year cenfor with P. Decius Mus,
reformed an abufe introduced by Appius, who had dt(-
perfed great numbers of freedmen, and the meaneft of
the people, among the country tribes : by thefe means
acquiring a great influence in all eledions, thofe men
being entirely devoted to him. Fabius re-incorporated
into the four city tribes the people Appius had taken
from thence \ fo that they could mfluence no more than
four tribes. This reformation was fo agreeable to the
republic, that the Romans gave Fabius, for this fingle
a^, the furname of Maximus, a tide which he had not
acquired by fubduing the Hetrurians, the Samnites, and
the Umbrians "• This furname was ever after preferved
in his branch of the Fabian family. The next year»
when Cornelius Lentulus and L. Genucius were confuls,
was employed in fending colonies to the conquered ci-
ties V. In the fucceeding confulate of Livius Denter and
<£milius Paulus, the art of painting vras introduced at
Rome by C. Fabius, afterwards conful^ who painted the

t Lit, lib. ix« cap. 45*

« Idem ibid. cap,4^.

"^ Liv,

Lib. X. cap. u

wall*

Tie kpmm irtlh9* 3oi5

W^ ef a new tempte, dedicated' to the goddefs ot Healtb^
aqd ihepQ^ got the furaame of Piflor, or ^^ Painter.
In the foUowing: year^ the repi^blic had no confuIs» hut
wa« gOTeriK:d by two didators, Q^ Fabius and Valerius
Corvus* The former niarchcd againft the Marfi, who i'heMarfi
Md r^voUed, and, by (M>e fue^efeful aaio;i> brought then^i ^^^^\f*
back to their ^uty. The kt-ter was created didator to Hgtruriam
<ioadii£l a war againft 4he Hetrurians, whom he defeated drftatmk
m a phched battle, though fiuihed with the advanta^
g^aed' ^fqw days before over Sempronius Sophus, his
general of the hovffr, who had fallen into an ambufh, and
loft a gi«at nutnbcr,of men, and fome ftandards. The
Hetrurians, humbled by this orerthrow, fued for peace^
but could . obtain only a truce for two years. Valerius^
oa his returii> entered Rome in triumph a fourth time^
on the tentk of the calends of IJeccmber *.

At th^ next eleflion, Valerius Corvus was promoted a Yr. of 9k
fifth time to the confulate, and Q. Apulius Panfa ap- .*^5^-
pointed to be his colleague. .During their adminiftra- ^^^ ^^'*
tion, all being quiet abro^di two tribunes of the people, u.cic^.
of the fame family, and probably brothers^ endeavoured *
to inflame the people againft the nobility. The one was J /aw to
aamed Quintufi Ogulnius, and the other Ciieius OguU qualify ple^
nius. -Thefe two complained, that all the pontifices and j^'f^^^^^
augurs were created out of the patricians j and urged, cateanT*
that the plebeians might alfo ' partake of thofe offices, auguratg.
The nolMllity were offended with this propofal, which
tended to deprive them of the only diftinfkion between
them and the plebeians ; but made no great oppofition to
this new encroachment, knowing that their attempts to
exclude them from thefe dignities would prove fruit- ^

lefs, the people having fucceeded in all their ftruggies
with the nobility. The famous Appius Claudius, though
devoted to the plebeian party^ became, on this occafion,
out of pure caprice, a moft zealous defender of the nobi*^
Hty. He had debafed the fenate, by introducing the fona
of freedmen into it ; and profaned the priefthood, by
lodging it in the hands of the public ilaves. He now ex«
crted ail his eloquence in favour of the nobility 5 while
P. Decius MiiSf a plebeian, who had been twice conful,
once di6;ator, and once cenfor, fpoke in behalf of th^
people, with all the weight and dignity which his em-
ployments, his credit^ and dae reputation .of his virtue,
S^ve him. The debate was mainuined in the jaflembly

> Liv* lib. X. cap« 4, j« ^

VofL.X. X 9£

3a6

Lmwsre"

^ived in
favour of
thepeopU*

K^guinum
betrtnidto
the Ko-
Mans^

The Roman Bijhry.

of the curias ; but the tribes being afterwards fommoned,
the affair was almoft-unanimoufly determined in favour
of the plebeians^ and a decree pafled for choofing four
new pontifices, and five new augurs^ out of the plebeians;
fo that the college of the pontifices was made ta confift
of eight perfons, and that of the augurs of nine. Dedog
Mus was chofen one of the new pontifices ^.

The Ogulnian law was the work of the two tribunes;
but the conful Valerius undertook to revive another law,
made by Valerius Popiicola, and afterwards revived bf
another of his anceftors. By this law it was enaddl^
that, in capital caufes, the accufed (hould have a right of
appealing lo the tribunal of the people. The patncians
had, by their intereft, rendered this law inefieAual^ and.
•often prevented the execution of it ; fo that it was be-
come obfolete# Valerius, therefore, nowreftored it, and
drew it up in more difUndt terms than before : but the
only puniihment denounced againft the tranferefibrs of it,
'was, that they illould be deemed guilty of a diihoneft
aAion ^; a flight puni(hment, indeed, for a more cor-
rupt age, but fufficient at this time to reftram the Ro-
mans, who piqued themfelves on their virtue, and were
never chofen for great employments, unlefs they had pre-
ferved their reputation pure and untainted.

The confuls chofen for the new year were M. Fuhius
Paetinus and T. Manlius Torquatus. The former marched
into Umbria, to carry on the fiege of Nequinum, which
Apuleius, one of the former confuls, had begun. This
city was one of the ftrongeft in Italy. It was built upon
the edge of a fteep rock, and furrounded in great part by
the river Nar. But the treachery of two Nequinians fa-
cilitated the redudion of a place, which was deemed im-
pregnable. Thefe traitors^ from their houfes, which were
near the ramparts» dug a paflTage under-ground, quite to
the advanced guard of the Romans, on the fide of the
town where there were no rocks. The conful, before
whom they appeared quite uhexpe£led, detained one of
them as a hoftage, and fent the other back to the city,
through the fubterraneous paffage, with two Roman fot
diers. Thefe, upon their return, made fuch a report, tt
encreafed the confidence of the conful, who ordered' three
hundred chofen men to follow them, and enlarge the v^y
under*ground. , This fervice they performed accordingly;
and having entered the city in the night, feized one of
the gates, and let in the reft of the army. The conful

X Liv. lib. x^ cap. 6, 7, S. « Idem ibid, cap. 9.

having

fie Rpman I0orjf: ^j

)iaving by thefe means made hunfelf mafter of tlie city
"Without ftrlking a blow (for iht Nequinianft immediately
threw down their arms), obliged the inhabitants to re**
ceive a Roman coloity, which might keep the reft of
Umbria in awe. This Wad the only punifliment he in-
flidled upon them. The colony changed the infamous
iiame of Nequinum» derited from nequitia^ roguery^ into
that of Natnma, from the river Nar. For this exploit
Fulvius was honoured with a triumph, whkh he obtained
t>n the feventh of the calends of Oftober**

In the fame confulate, the Hctruriins broke their truce
with Rome ; but while they were preparirig to enter the
Jlomau territories, they were obliged, by an irruption of
the Gauls, to fnfpend the execution of their dcfign^ How-* jfig^tiof^
i^ver, their animoHty againft the republic was fo great^ tinmhi^
that they chdfe rather to gain over thefe new enemies by ^<^ff*^.
Money, than to repel them by force. Accordingly, they ^^^^^'^
l>aid them large fums, on condition that they fliould not c^i^, '
i)nly forbear pillaging Hetriiria, but join them againft
Rome. The Gauls accepted the offers and left Hetruria
in traiiquility; but when they were urged to begin their
inarjch towards Rome, they cxcufed themfdves, unlefs
the Hetrurians would fecure them a retreat in their coun-
try, by affigning them lands to fettle. This demand the
I^trurians abfolutcly refufed. The Romans, being in-
formed of thefe negotiations between the Hetrurians and
Gauls, ordered the conful . Manlius to march into Hetru-
ria, to punifli the inhabitants for their breach of faith.
But Manlius being killed by a fall from his horfe, the cen-
turies met to appoint a fucceflbr i and all to a man gave
their fuffrages in favour of Valerius Corvus, who was
now the fixth time raifed to the confulate. The Hetru<-
rians no fooner underftood that the formidable Valerius
was marching againft them, than they quitted the fields
and retired within the walls of their cities. The brave t^aUriMi
conful over-ran the whote ^ountryi committing; every C^vmi
where great devaftations, in ordef to draw the- enemy ^^-ruMi
into the field ; but they, rtiore concerned for their lives *'''*''**•
than their eftates, ktpt clofe within their walls. This
was a kind of viQory, which brought gr^at glory to Va*
leriusy and was the laft of his. exploits (U). Towards

* Liv. lib. X. cap. lo. f lor* Epit. S9. Frontin* Strat. lib. xi«
Faft. Capit.

(U) On his return to fi.oMe, duiii^ of a private lift, aftef
ke retired to enjoy thft trail- u) mai^ labours, sad & plen-

Xa tiM

war.

30^ The Ronum Htftoty.

Towards thie clofe of this year the republic, wfaedier Mf
the <ieath of V>deriu8y or fome other accident, is un-
known, fell into an interregnum. When the comida
were.afiembled to el^€t new magiftrates, Appius attempt-
ed to prcTcnt.any plebeian from being cbofen to the con-
iidate. But Curius Dentatus, one of the tribunes^ with-
ftood.the eloquence and authority of Aj)piuS9 and obliged
file fenate to confirm the cuftom of choofing one of the
confuls out of the plebeians ; fo that L* Cornellud Scipio,
snd Cn< Fjuhrtu^ Qentumalus, a plebeian, were raifed to
thatdtgnitya During their adminiftration, the republic
was engaged in a ws^r with the two nioft formidable na-
tions in her. ncjghboyrheod,- t]|e Hetrurians^ who had
broken the .jtmee, and the^ Senates, who, notwitliftand-
9Xr ffefm- their tcesJty of ^dUiance^ .had. . openly declared war. Sdpio
riansahd^ marched a^oft the Hetrurians, who met and; encaged
**^'^^ him in the plains of Volaterrae. The battle lafted au day,
rgKeki) fAi ^^ atnight the viftory was doubtful. But an unacconnt-
abie terror feizing the enemy, they retired, in ftnalf com*
panies, to their refpedlive lucumonies. The' conful then
plundered, and laid wafte the whple country ^j(W). A
feport being fpread, before the comitia aflemble^ for eled<-
fng new confuls, that the Hetfunans axul Samnites were

: • [ b Liv« lib. x. cap. 12.

tiful a harrefl of glory (i). doced in her moil glorious and
In what year he ended his days, virtuous age (2).
is not known J. but it is cer- (W) The Fafti Capitolim
tain that helived above a hun- afcribc the defeat of the He-
dred years. He was twenty- 'truriansto Fulviustheplebdaa
one times promoted to ofBces conful ; and add, that hsrine
that intitled him to fit in the finilhed his ezpediticxi again!
curule chair^' which can . be the Hetrurians, he hwen^
v.\ "^ . ^« faid of no Roman hut himfelf. . iato $amnrium, and there ob-
i*.^ .' When the republic feemedt^ -lained a complete vidloryovcr
I-.. «jjj fcnrget him, he took advantage thofe ancient enemies of his
!»•<.>.-» ^£ jjjQ^^ intervals of reil tp^ republic, while his colleague,
JimpTove his paternal effate, Scipio, continued ihadive at
.and manure his lands. He Rome. On his return a tri-
was great iii peace^ and greater imiph was decreed him for hav-
da war; and may he feid to ing conquered the Snsnini
have appeared eminent among and Hetrurians. He triumph-
thole heroes, Whotti Rome pro- ed on the ides of Noyember(3}.

?. (.i),£.ii^. HIb X* cap. ii« (ft) Plin. lib. vii. eap« 4.S9 Val.

ii^n. JAb,^ jfiii;. cap. it. Cic. in Cat. Major. FTut. In M6n^
:tt)-^aA.CdplU ^ ^' " - -.--. ^-.., .

making

Ti^e Roman Htftoty. 309

making preparations to repair their lofles^ the Romans
chofe confuls of valour and ^perience, to difappoint the
defigns of the two nations. Tne centuries caft their eyes
upon Fabius ; but he declined the honour ; and would not
accept of it till he was forced by the jpeople and their tri-
bunes. He then propofed to them Decius Mus for his
colleague, who was, at his requeft, unanimoufly chofen.

While the two new confuls were preparing to take the ^^^ W'nj*
field, the Hetrurians came to a refolution to aik a peace, ^^^fi^
In confcquence of their fubmiffion both the confuls march- •'^ *'*'*•.
cd into Samnium, Fabius by thfe territory of Sora, and
Decius through the country of the Sjdicini. Fabius was
informed on his march, that the Samnites lay in ambuih
on the banks of the Tifernus, and waited for his coming
into a deep valley, with a defign to attack him from the
hills. This advice 'did not induce the brave Fabius to
change his route : he chofe to furj>rife and attack the
enemy in their ambufcade. Accordingly, having lodged
the baggage in a fafe place, he marched with his troops
towards the e»ehiy ; who, finding their projeft difcovered,
left their aynbuOi, and formed in the plain. Their onfet
wa§ terjible^ they had affembled all the forces of their
country, and, looking upon this battle as the decifive
ftroke, exerted their utmoft efforts. The brave refiftance
of the enemy gave Fabius no fmall uneafinefs. He there-
fore commanded the cavalry to rufli full fpeed on their
battalions. But this charge proved ineffeSual ; the Sam-
nite infantry keeping their pofts, without lofing ground.
Fabius, finding he could not by force break thofe impe-
netrable battalions, had recourfe to ftratagem : he ordered Faiius
Scipio, one of his lieutenants, to march with the haftati gamsa
filently round the top of a neighbouring hill, and from '^^^
thence to fall on the enemy's rear. The conful's orders 'samJius
were executed with fuch addrefs, that neither the Sam-
nites nor Romans perceived this motion. In the mean
time the former, elated with having repulfed the Roman
cavalry, refumed new courage, and obliged the fixft line
of the confutar army to give way, and retire through the
fpaces of the fecond line. Then the principes, who
formed that line, engaged in their turn ; and, as they
were quite frefh, put a flop to the impetuofity of the Sam-
nites. But they were obliged, in the end, to give way.

When the Samnites thought themfelves fecure of the

^vi£U^ry, they difcovered, at a diftance, the ehfigns of a

"body of troops, which advanced in good order to the field

of battle. This w^s the 4etachment commanded by Sci-

1X3 Piof

-IQ ^e Roman Hiflory.

pio, coming down the hill to attack the cncmy^s rttt.
The conful^ on teeing it, cried out, ** What unexpe£ked
good fortune ! I fee my colleague, Decius, haftening to
our afliftanpc." The general's words, paffing from legion
to legion, were foon diffiifed through the whole army,
and heard by the enemy's battalions. The Romans were
animated with frefh courage; but the Samnites, tired
with fighting, and afraid to engage another confular
army, were fo difcouraged, that, without waiting for their
general's orders> they difperfed, and fled in confufion, am
kaving only three thoufand four hundred men dead upon V
the pUin ; a very inconfiderable lofs. The Romans took
twenty-three ftandards* On the other hand, Decius
gained a confiderable viAory over the Apulians, as
lamnium they were marching to join the Samnites. After thefe
l0d'W^** atchievements, the two confular armies entering Sam-
nium, laid the whole country wade. , Decius changed
his i^tuation forty times, and Fabius occupied eighty-fix
different c^mpSt By thefe means the fields were every-
where laid wafte, and the country, which had been in a
flourifhing condition, during a long interval of peace,
was utterly ruined. Fabius took alfo the city of Cimetra,
^nd ra^ed it. Two thoufand four hundred prifoners were
taken in thefe expeditions, and all the inhabitants, who
were found in arms, put to the fword ^. ,

The campaign being ended, Fabius was recalled to prc-
Cde in the comitia for the cleSion of new confuls. Upon
his arrival he found, that Appius had once more formed
a fchemc to exclude the pl^beiaiis, and c^^fine the cpn-
fulate to the patricians. . With this view, having fecured
his own eleftion, he engaged the centuries to continue
Fabius in his ofl^ce for the enfuing yean As the Romans,
efpecially the patricians, had a great efteem and venera-
tion for that able commander, the firft centuries, confift-
ing chiefly of thp pobility, unanimoufly voted in his fa*
vour. Fabius, however, oppofed bis own ele£kion, pro-
tcfting that he would never give the republic fo pernicious
a precedent," as to fuffer himfelf to be ele£ted in the co-
mitia where he prefided The whole body of the patri-
cians furrounded his tribunal^ cpfijyring him to reftorc
the confulate to its ancient luf^re. Fabius could not, bj
any mean^, ^e prevailed upon to fall into Appius's
fcheme ; fo th?it Volumnius Flamma, a plebeian, was
JQJnf d with Appius in the confulate. However^ Fabit}4

c Liv. lib. X. cap. t^ i^.

9Tbe Roman Hiftory. ^n

and his colleague Decius were continued^ with the title
of proconfulsy in the, command of the armies in Sam-
nxum for fix months longer ; which Fahius fpent in keep-
ing in awe the Xiucanians> who had revolted, and pre-
venting them from joining the Samnitcs. Decius, after
having laid wafte all Samnium, purfued the fmall army ^
of that unhappy people from place to place, and fo ha-
rafied them, that they were ooliged to diftand, and re-
tire into the neighbouring countries. Then Decius, hav- Sey^af
ing no $nemy in the field to contend with, laid fiege to S?''*' '/**'*
their dues, and made himfelf matter of Murgantia, Ro- samuius.
mulea, and Ferentinum, three important cities : in the
fo'ft he made two thoufand one hundred and ten prifo^
ners ; in the fecond be put two thoufand three hundred.
pf the inhabitants to the fword, and took fix thoufand j
in the third about three tboufi^nd men, who defended the
place, and made a defperate jrefiftance, were killed upon
the ramparts. Thus Samnium was reduced to the laft
extremity; and, to complete th^ deftruAion of this
country, the- new conful Volumnius ^nterpd it with an-
other a^my pf two legions, aQd fifteen hundred auxi-
Jiaries *»

The SamniteS) beiqg thu3 driypn out of their own
country, took refuge in Hetruria -, where, in a diet held
at their jrequeft, th^y prevailed upon the feveral lucumo^
nies to join in a war againft Rome, and offered to ferve
under tnem at thei]r own expence. The Hetrurians, look-
ing upon thi^ riBinforcement as fent them from heaven,
raifed a formidable army, and eyei) engaged, with funis
of money, fome troops of Gauls to joip them. The Ro-
man fenate, being informed of thefe motions, difpatched
Appius, to whom Hetriiria had fallen by lot, to oppofe
fo powerful iin enen>y with an army confiding 'of two le-
gions, and twelve thoufand auxiliaries. Appius potted
himfelf within reach of the enemy. But, as he neither Jppim r#.
)cnew when to engage, nor to choofe his ground, he wajn ^'^^^ io
ivprfted in every a£tion in which he ventured tp engage, ^^f .
Thefe fnjall advantages increafed the enemy's confidence^ Hetriiria.,
and gave tl;em hopes of vidory in a general a3ion. In
ihort, the foldiers dittrufted their general, and the gene-
iral had no confidence in his foldiers. In this extremity,
Appius * is faid to have written to his colleague, begging
him to le^ye Sa^mnipm, and haften to his aifittance. Vo-

* Liv. lib. X. cap. 15, j$. « Tret Annalcs citati a

{livioj lib. X. cap. i9,

X 4 lumuiuft

3 11 ^e Roman Hifimy.

lumnius immediately joined him, to the inexpreflHale jSy
Strange of the troops of Appius. " But Appius himfclf, prctend-
hiha^iaur jj^g ^^ ^^ furprifed, aiked his cblleague iterrfy, wlrat had
V ppi^i* brought him from Samnium ; difowned his letter ; and
told him, that he had a£ted a diflionourable part iti quit^
ting his own province, in order to gain credit by giving
» afliftance to others, who did not want it. Volutnnius,

thus reproached, would have returned immediately to
Sarnnium ; but the officers of both armies prevailed upota
him to ftay in Hetruria, where the common caufe caBcd
for his aCTiftance, and to defpife the reproaches and unac-
countable behaviour of Appiu8«
Ithe two At the requeft of the officers the two confals after*

eonfuls wards had an interview in tliat part of the camp, where
fuarrfL the generals ufed to harangue their foldiers ; and there, in
the prefence of the army, made their complaints of ead\
other. Volumniud, though no orator, fpoke on this oc-
cafion with great eloquence ; for he had die better caafe.
Appius, who had been his colleague in the confulfcip ten
years before, could not forbear rallying him : ^' "Won*^
derful, indeed ! (faid he) ; 'I have made a dumb man
fpeak, Volumnius, in our firft confulate, fcarce opened
Jiis mouth for fome months. He had then no tongue;
but now is become eloquent, a perfeft matter of oratory.
What a miraculous change. have I wrought in fiini !**
** Since you have taught me to fpiaky (replied Volum-.
nius), I wiQi I could, in return for your kindnefs, teach
you to fight. In our prefent fituation, it is of fmall im^
portance to be able to talk well. If you are inclined to
r know which of us underftands beft the condu£t of an
army, we have wars to carry on in two places, Samnium
and Hetruria : make your choice ; it is indifferent to me
in which province I command.'* At thefe words the fol-?
diers cried out with one voice, that both confiils fhould
carry on the war in Hetruria. Volumnius anfveered, that
Tie was willing to ftay ; but defired the troops to fignify
to him their incliriations by a general fhout. Inftantly
• S:he army made fuch acclamations, as were heard in the
.enerny's camp, who, taking the alarm, formed in order
of battle. Voliimnius immediately marched out with his
'troops to engage them. But Appius was for fome tithe in
^ufpenfe, whether he fliould join in the battle j and non
tiling determined him but the fear of being deferred by
fbis troops, who (hewed a ftrong inclination to follow Vo^
IpmpiviSi in defiance of their general's orderst

'It

'^e komm Hiftorjl

It Ml to Voliiftmius to engage the H^rarlftiis, and to
liis colleague to oppofe the Samnrtei, >«rbo, full of mge,
advanced againft him. Emtilatkni for glory, and the
fliame of being obfcured by a rival, romfed ApjHtis to fuch
a degree, that he behaved with naore courage than could
harve been expeded. He gave his orders like an able com-
mander, fought with intrepidity, infpired his men with
ardor, and equalled hts colleague in bravery and condud*
The united Samnites and Hetruri^ns, being unable to
withftand two confular armies, were entirely defeated^
and their camp taken and plundered. The enemy left
feven thoufand three hundred men dead upon the field of
battle, and two thoufand of them were taken prifoners.
It muft be owned, that if Appius infpired Volumniua
with eloquence, Volumnius infpired him with courage*
After this viftory, which ended the mifunderftanding be*
tween the two, Volumnius returned into bis own pro»
▼incc,' to oppofe the Samnites, who, notwithftanding
their late lofTes, had raifed a new army, and were a£bQ-
^Ily ravaging Campania. Volumnius furprifed them near
the Vultumus, flew fix thoufand, and recovered all the
i^oil they had taken ^ '

The republic being alarmed, by accounts from Appius,
of the preparatiotis for war which the Hetrurians, and
their aHics the Umbrians, Gauls, and Sammites were mak-
ing, turned their eyes again upon Fabius ; rfnd, in «thc
conritia, which Were held foon a'fter, raifed him the fifth
time to the confulate. The colleague they defigned te
give him was Volumnius, ivho prefided in the comitia ;
but Fabius refufing to accept the office, unlefs he had
again Decius for his colleague, Voluninius, though tlbe
firft tribes had already voted for him, approved of Fa-
bius's requeft ; and, making an eulogium upon Decius,
exhorted the tribes to choofe him ; an advice which they
followed accordingly, bellowing that honour upon him
the fourth time. Appius, who was then in Hetruriay
was appointed praetor ; and Volumnius continued in the
command of the army in Samnium, with the title of pro-
conful. It was cuftomary for the new 'Confuls to draw
Jots for their refpedlivc provinces ; but it was natural to
fuppofe, that Decius would compliment Fabius with the
Command in Hetruria, where the ftrefs of the war lay,
•induced by gratitude, as well as by the age and fupcrior
«erit of his colleague : but the patricians making it «

3«3

Appius and
Folumniui
defeat the
Hetrurians
and Sam*
nites.

Thibkm-
rianif.
UmManif
Samnites,
and GatUsp
unite

againft tkg
repubiic^

f t-iv,4ib, %i 0ip, i», ^9.

«•••

point

314 ^^ Roman Hifiory.

point of honour not to permit any other than Fabiad to
have the condu£t of the Hetrurian war» the plebeians
would not confent, unlefs it fell to him by lot, fearing
the patrician conful fliould^ for the future, claim a right
of cho<^ng his province. The pacific Decius was corn-
peUed, contrary to his temper and inclination^ to fwim
with the current of his party, and infift on its being de-
termined> whether he or Fabius fliould command in He-
truria. The afiair was firft brought before the fenate,
where it was determined in favour of Fabius. Then
* Decius appealed to the people ; and the comitia beiog a£-
fembled, the two competitors pleaded each his own caufe
more like foldiers than orators. When they had both
done fpeaking, the people began to vote \ then Fabius,
rifing up again, defired them, in a few words, to hear
Appius's letters read, before they decided on the prefent
diipute. Appius, in the letters he had lately written
from Hetruria, had painted the danger with which the
republic was threatened in very lively colours, and given
a very particular account of the four armies which were
to fall upon Rome s*
Fahmsfint • ^^^ ^^^^ relation of the danger determined the people
iigsu^ to have recourfe to the fureft remedy i and Fabius was
inftantly appointed to command the army in Hetruria.
Andnow all the Roman youth were eager to ferve under
fo great a commander ^ but he would carry with him no
larger a reinforcement than four thoufand foot^ and fix
hundred horfe. At the head of this fmall bpdy he
marched towards the camp, which the rimid Appius was
ftrengthening with new fortificatipns. As he drew near,
he met a detachment f^nt to cut wood in a neighbouring
foreft. " Whither are you going, fellow-foldiers ?'* f;ud
Fabius. The foldiers anfwered, •* to cut wood to fortify
our camp." ** What ! (replied the general) ; is it not
already fortified ?'* *' We are already furrounded (re-
turned the foldiers), with a double ditch^ an4 a doulbte
rampart ^ and yet we are ftillafrfiid.'' ^' Since that is the
cafe (faid Fabius), retui^ to the camp, and level the firft
rampart." The detachment immediately returned, and
put their new general's orders in execution ; a ftep which
greatly alarmed Appius : but Fabius arrived the fame
day, to the inexpreffiblc joy of the army. Next day Ap-
pius fet out for Rome, to take upon him the praetorfliip.
Fabiusy inltead of confining his foldiers within line%

s Liv. Ubf x« <^p« S4«

whic1|»

^he Roman Hifiory^ 215

^«r!iich, he fald, Betrayed fear, kept them in conftant mo-
tion, hy frequent marches and counter-marches} but'
before he entered upon aftion, he returned tb Rome, for
Tsrhat reafon is uncertain. Upon his arrival, the fenate,
alarmed at the dreadful representation which Appius had
made of the enemy's forces, judged it neceffary to
ftrengtben him by a fecond army. Fabius, when this
was firft propofea to him, told the fenators, that he
(hould acquiefce in what they thought proper, on account
of the fears of others, not his own ; but defired, that, if
another general was to be joined with him, Decius might Difinsihai
be the perfon, fhewing thereby, that his late conteft with Dtcius mej
him had not leffened the efteem he had for fo great a ^'-Z?"!^'
man *. ' * nmth/um

The fenat^ and people readily granted his re<|ueft.
The confuls, before they left Rome, made the following
regulations : they fent the proconful, Volumnius, with
two legions, into Samnium, and, in order to cover the
city on the fide of Hetruria, direfted two camps to be
pitched, one near Rome, on the hill Vaticanus, and the
other on the banks of the Tiber, in the country of the T^iwt
Falifci. After thefe regulations, the confuls fet out for ^^^M fit
the camp in Hetruria. Upon the road they were inform- JJJii^'^-
ed, that a legion, which Fabius had left under the com- ^

mand of Sripio, had been cut off by the Gauls, called
Senones. Without being difcouraged by this accident^
they continued their march : as their army confifted of
four legions, a good number of Roman knights, a thou-
fand Campanian horfe, and a body of auxiliaries, more
numerous than all the Roman forces, they divided it into
two parts, and encamped feparately, but within reach of
each other, ip the plain of Sentinum, about four miles
from the enemy. We are told, that the forces of the '

Gauls and Samnites, who encamped together, amounted
to one hundred and forty-three thoufand three hundred
and thirty foot, and forty-fix thoufand horfe. What the
number was of Hetrurians and Umbrians, who jointly
made another camp, we find no where recorded. As
thefe confederates were feparated in their camps, they
agreed, that the Gauls and Samnites ihould engage the
Romans, while the Hetrurians and Umbrians attacked
their two camps in the heat of the a£lion. Fabius being
ioformed of this defign by deferters, immediately fent

fe Liv. lib. X. eap« »6, 27$

orderi

^l6 Tie Reman Hiftary. '

orders to tlie two propraetors^ Fulvius and Pofthumm,
vfao commanded in the camps that covered Rome, to
eidjer Hetnxria ^without delay, and lay it wafl:c« In con-
fequcnce of this incurfion, the Hetrurians and Umbrians
liadpned to the relief of the unforttinate people whoiis
lu»u{es and lands were burnt and ravaged.
- .. Fabius, having thus obliged the enemy to divide their

brings tie ^^^<^^h tooi advantage of the divefrficin be had made, and,
Cauisand in the abfencc of the Hetmrians and .Umbrians, brought
Saknites to the Gauls and Samnites to a battle. Fabius commanded
mPatth, tjjg right wing, which faced the Samnites ; jand Decius
condu£ked the left, which engaged the Gauls. Both
parties fuftained the iirfl onfet with equal bravery, and the
refiftance of the enemy convinced the Ramans, that they
could not have »with{tood the fpur arauies, had they all
engaged at once* The advantage firfl: appeared in favoiur
of the Gauls, who furprifed the Romans, foon after the
a&ion began, with a new way of fighting, never ufed in
the wars of Italy* They drove armed chariots ^ah\ft thp
Roman cavalry, which, with the noife Q.f.tbe wheels,. and
the novelty of the fight, frightened the JbprfqB^' axi^ put
them into diforder. They iell, afterwards^ on thje mfi
line of the infantry, and broke into the ranks, carrying
Dffiusdf' e^cry-where terror and confufion. The conful, Decius,
wtes him' having in vain endeavoured to rally his terrified foldiers,
;^/wi. rcfolved to follow the example of his father, and in the
fame manner devote himfelf to the dii manes. Purfuant
to this refolution, he commanded the pontifex^ WL Livius,
to pronounce the words ufed in devotements j and, hav-
ing repeated them after him, ro4e full fpeed into the
thickeft of the enemy's battalions, where he was killedf
after having received numbcrlefs wounds. How great is
the power of credulity and fuperftition ! The Romans,
after the death of their general, locking upon the enemy
as devoted to deftruSion, refumed new courage, and re-
turned to the charge, in order to put the decrees of the
^ods- in execution. The pontifex, Livius, who was him-»
ielf an able conynander, taking advantage of their preju-
dioes, put himfelf at their head, crying out, ** We
tave conquered; the death of Decius has fecured to us
the' viftory ; ^he Samnites and the Gauls are devoted to
the manes, and rivuft inevitably perifti." Having thus
fpeken, he renewed the battle ; and, beiffg fecgnded by
fome troops, fent by Fabius from the rear, under the
command of L. QorwliAW avA C» Marcius, he foon
« fhanged

'^i Roman Hijfory. ' gflj

changed tht forhrhef'ctf the ^ajr ki favour of the Romatf^

in thtf left whig "^r- - - • -

In the right wing Fabiu^ had'-fetlackcd the Samnites
batfamtly, or rafther kcjt WnifeIf'Ui)*Ofi the defenfive, till
the enemy vrefe exhatifted 5 tbcfi, beeammg in bis- turtt
the aggreflbr, he ordered hi& cavahry- to wheel about^ and
fi^nk^ the wings of the enemy, while he, at the head of
the4e|ions, attacked ^hem in front; AH- the troops-bcmg Yr. of FU
%irs^t in motiort, Ithe fhock was fo violent, that the . *^'^p
•6amnftes fled in diforder to the camp, and left the Gaote ^^g^***^"
to contend with the Ronidns'. Theiebrav^ men, not dif- u. C. 46a,
hedt'tened at the rout of their allies, ftill kept their - . ■
git)imd, and covering their heafds with their bncklerdi TheS^m-
wttittA% tortoifc. ' Fahras, therefore, to break thefe imu ^'^'^^
"petietrJrHe trobps>' detacrhed a body b(' five hundred Gam?^ ftauJu •
jiarniatr hoirfe to f5H upon thpi? reaf,oKdering the prin-
Tcipes to follow the' detachment; and penetrate ' into their
IratltaHpns when ortcfe btoken. Thi^motfon fucceed*ed ^ ,
well, that the,Gauh Vere, at- length, obliged to retire,
-sitldMeave the Roliiatts'Tnafters of ;^he fiVld. Fabitte-did
not |jurfue them i but - led ' his foi^tc^^gainft the camp <^i
the^ Samhices, where he made » - d^^adful flaughtef,
TTVenty-five thoufind of the Samiiites and Gauls were
^illfed in this 4i6Hon, and eight thoufend tak^n prifonera* '
" Among tlie former was Gkllius Egnattua^ an eminent
cotpmander of the ' Samnites, who had negociated the
alliance of the fOur nations. On the fide of the Romans,
the number of the dead, in the 'left- wing, amounted fo
feven thoufand : but in the right, where Fabius com-
manded, only twelt^e hundred were killed. The pro-
pr^tors, Fulvius and Pbfthumius, gained confiderable ad-
' vantages over the HetrurianA and Umbrians ; and the fame
' year the proconful, Voliimnius, defeated the Saijinites in
a battle at the foot of Mount Tifernus. After all thefe
fucceffes Fabius returned to Rome, and triumphed the
day before th^ nones of September. He had fcarce left
*the country, when 'the Hetrurians ->dfed a new army,
* which obliged him tojcad his troops thither again* Upon
his arrival, he attacked the Hetrurians, killed four thou-- •
fand five hundred of them on the fj^ot, took one ihotifond
feven hundred and forty prifoners, and ftruck the reft
*"whh fuch terror, tliat they made no farther attempts thtit
ytrar. This was' the laft exploit of-ii hero, whom ^ge
difabled from fcrving his country. He had a fon, fur-

*Liv« lib. X. cap. '27, i8. * ^

difabled

^i8 The Roman Hifimy.

named Gorges^ that i8> the Gulf, on account of big ex«
ceiRve intemperance in his youth. After he had fquan**
^ered away immenfe fums in debauchery^ he corredled
Ids way of livingi and became a zealous reformer of man*
ners, in order to wipe off the fliame of his pad excefies.
In his aedileihip he accufed^ before the people, a great
number of patrician women of adultery; andj having con-
vided them» perpetuated the ihame of the criminals^ by
building, with the money accruing from their fines^ a
temple to Venusj as a lafting monument of their infamy K
In the meait time the Samnites, nptwithftanding their
loffes, brought two new armies into the field. With one
they encaiiiped on the banks of the Vulturnus ; with the
other they entered Campania, and pillaged the territories
of Vefcia and Formiae. Thefe bofulities were no iboner
known at Rome, than Appius, the prsetor, was ordered
into Samnium, at the head of the army which Decius had
.commanded. The proconful VolufnniuSy^ who was al-
ready on the fpot, joined his forces to thofe of Appius \
and. both thefe generals^ by purfuing the Samnites from
place to place, obliged them to unite their two armies in
the Campi Stellates, between the Vulturnus and the
Savo. Ihere the Samnites refolved to put the whole to
nt Sam- the iffiie of a battle ; and, as they looked upon it as their
^'^'* laftftake, behaved with extraordinary courage and refc-
dtfeati J lution : but the Romans prevailed, after having loft two
thoufand feven hundred men. Of the Samnites there
fell in the battle andpurfuit fix teen thoufand three bun-
.dred^

Rome had now made war with the Samnites for forty
yearS) almoft without interruption, and generally with
fuccefs. That people had loft four battles in one year-,
the braveft of their generals had been killed; all the
flower of their youth cut off; the Hetrurians> Umbriansy
and Gauls, whom they had drawn into a confederacyi
were not now in a condition to lend them any affiftance.
However> they were not fo far difcouraged, %& to lofe all
^hopes of being able one day to triumph in their turn.
huttkkitke They made great preparations to take the field once more.
fiid muw. The fenate ordered the two new confuls, L. Pofthumius
Megellu8> who was niifed to that dignity a fecond time^
and M. Attilius Regulus» to carry the war jointly into
Samnium ; but Pofthumius being fickj the whole managie-

» Liv. lib. X. cap. i^, so. Faft. Capita Macrob. Sat. lib. ii.
cap. 9. ' i Liv. lib. x« cap. 31.

ment

ment of affiurs was committed to Attilius , who, tiaftenifig
into Samnium, met the enemy on the confines of Cam-
pania. The Gonful was no fooner encamped^ than the
Samnites, though fo often vanquifiiedy undertook to
execute what the Romans themfelvesWould fcarce have at-
tempted ; they formed a defign of forcing the conful's
lines*. Marching out of their camp undifcovered, by
means of a thick fog, they furprifed the advanced guards^
made themfelves mailers of the Decuman gate, and pene-
trated to the quaeftor's tent, where the military cheft wag
kept. In the mean time the alarm fpreading to the gene-
ral's quarters, he put himfelf at the head of fome mani-
puli, and obliged the enemy to retire by the gate through
which they had entered. The Romans would have pur-
fued them; but Attilius, fearing an ambufcade, would
not fufier them to march out of their entrenchments.
The Samnites, not doubting but fortune would favour
their bold .attempts another time, encamped clofe to the
Roman line3, and kept the confular army fo clofely ihut
up, that they could not enter Samnium to live upon free-
quarter there, as they had defigned ; but were obliged to
bring their provifions from the countries behind them^ to
which alone they had accefs ™«

The fenate and people of Rome, alarmed at this difad-
▼antageous fituation of the army, difpatched Pofthumius,
though not yet perfectly recovered, with another confular
army, to the aififtance of his colleague. Upon his ariivdl^
the Samnites, who were not in a condition to contend
with two confular armies, decamped in hafte, and left
their country a prey to the enemy. On their retreat the
two generals feparated, to lay wade the whole country.
Pofthumius, having committed great devaftations, made
himfelf mailer of Milionia and Triventum, two places of
great ilrength. The former was taken by aflault, after a
vigorous defence, and given up to be plundered by the
fokiiers $ three thoufand two hundred Samnites were cut
in pieces on the ramparts, and four thoufand two hun«
dred made prifoners. Triventum was abandoned by the
inhabitants ; fo that the conful made himfelf mailer of it
without ftriking a blow ^«

While Pofthumius was thus employed, Attilius marched
to the relief of Luceria in Apulia, befieged, ^s he was
told, by the Samnites. On his march he met the enemy,
and came to a battle with them, the fuccefs of which was

3^9

i4mpi9f
theSam^

their citUs

tMki9»

Attiliui im
gages thi
Sammt0U

B Liv.lib« x« cap. js, 33.

A Idem ibid, cap. 339 34*

fuch.

fit(*ft> that neither army e^ofe to trf^ fe^rid'engageilM^K
TheSamnitcs w^re determined to return lieiM j but a^lpjj
pkce where they were encamped was a kind of defile^ mM
the Romanrf were between them and Samnium, after mueh*
deliberation, they refolved to march to the'Roman camp^, ^
take their route by th^ fide of it, and adirance i^to the
plain* The conful no fooncr perceited them, than he
gave orders to his legions to prepare for battle, not doubl-
ing but they were coming to attack him. Attiltas now
perceived how much the aftion of the day beft*e had dis-
couraged his troops : his officers told him^ that they were
The Ro' ready to obey his orders ; but that the foldiers were e»-
mans inti- tremcly fatigued and intimidated, and that they would ccp-
mdattd, tainly be overcome if attacked. This information gave
' Attilius great uneafincfs : he went in perfoh 10' vifit them
in their tents, and endeavoured, by foft words, tOToafe
their courage ; but all to no purpofe'.
. In the mean time the Samnites drawing ttear, the Ro-
mans obferved, that they were loaded with ftakes and
fafcines. The conful, now believing they defigned to flittt
him up in his camp, protefted that he would march out,
and meet the enemy alone ; and that, if he were cut in
pieces, he (hould at leaft efcape the mortification of feeing
"his camp at the mercy of a people fo often conquered.
His words, and the fhame of abandoning their general,
induced them at length to (land to their arms; they
marched out, though with great reludance, and very
flowly, the battalions not being clofc, but broken in fe-
veral places. This motion of the Romans was a great dif-
appointment to the Samnites, who were no lefs afraid
than they, and equally defirous to avoid a battle; but,
when they found it was neceflary to fight, they aded
like brave men, threw down all their baggage in a heap,
and placing it in the centre, formed in battalia. When
the armies drew near, they (hewed fo little inclination to
fight, that they would have retired without adion, had
they not feared, that the firft which drew ofi^ would be at-
tacked in the rear by the other. However, they charged
at length, but in a' faint manner, and without drawing fo
near as to come to a clofe engagement. The Romans
foon began to give ground j a circumftancc which fo en-
couraged the Samnites, that they now exerted their ufual
Vigour; and, prefling upon the legions, drove them
back to their entrenchments, which they would have en-
tered, and left the Samnites mafters of the field, had not
AttUius ordered a body of horfe to adydnce to the gate of

the

\-

f

* fie tbmanH^oty*.

llie ca^mp) with dlre£ii6n$ to kill every Roman who
fliould attempt to enter.

: By this expedient the runsiways beihg obliged to return
to the charge^ rallied, and renewed the' fight with fuch
• vigour^ that the Saihnites, who purfued them. Were
forced to fly in their turn. Thus vi£l:ory declared for the
Romans, after they had loft feven thoufand three hundred
men. Four thoufand eight hundred of the Samnites were
killed, and feven thoufand taken prifoners. Whom the
Conful co^ipelied to pafs under the yoke *** The conful
Attilius would ^have gained but little honour this cam-i
paign,hadhe not repaired his lofles by a new advantage; for^
On his march homewards, having fallen in with a body of
Samnites, loaded with the booty they had made in the
Country of the Volfci, he cut them in pieces, recovered
the booty, and releafed many Roman prifoners. Afte^
this exploit, he left his army in winter^uarters, and
returned to Rome, to ptefide at the eledlions. In the
inean time Pofthumius, uneafy to find nothing to do in
Samnium, left that country, without orders from the
fenate. Marching into Hetruria, where thefc Was more
booty, and more glory to be gained, he defeated the He-
tr urians, took Ruffellae, and obliged the three lucumonics
of Volfinii, Perufia, and Arctium, to fue for peace.
Neverthelefs the fenate, on his return, refufed him a tri-
timph, on Account of his irregular prodeedidgs ; but he
iippealed to the people, who decreed him one for his vic-
tories over the Samnites arvi Hetrurians ^.

In the new confulate of L. PapiriUs Curfbr, fon of the
famous Papirius, and Sp. Carvilius, Samnium became
again the feat of war. That martial nation refolved t<J
make a new and more vigorous effort than evei*. They
publlflied a law, Coninlanding all who were of age td
bear arms, to appear upbn the firft fummofls from the
general of their nation, upon pain of death. The heads
of thofe who difobeyed this law were devoted to Jupiter,
and it was lawful for any one to kill therti. The general
rendezvous was appointed In the neighbourhood of Aqui-
lonia, a city of Hirpinia, whithei* fear brought all the
youth of the country, to tbfe number. of forty thoufand
and upwards. In order to infpire them with cburage, the
heads of the nation obliged fizteen thoufand Of the oraveft
men among them to take the following oath, which wa«
adminiftered to them with great folomnity: "May all

SM

Anilius '
gains a

9*V€rthi
Samniuii

fhetiettu*
rianso'uer'^
cemgiy
PoftAumiu/i

mta rmiflf

i^«

* Liv. lib. x« cap. 35^3^^

Vol. X.

f Idem ibidi cap. %). Fait Capit.
T th«

322 fie Roman Hifioty.

the curfes of the gods fall upon me and my pofterity, if I
do not follow my generals wherever they (hall lead me,
if I ever turn my back, or do not kill thofe whom I (hall
fee attempting to fly !" Thofe who he(itated at loading
' themfelves and their pofterity with fuch imprecationsi
were ftabbed, and their bodies thrown among the carcafes
of the many victims that were facrificed on that occafion.
Thofe who took the oath were called Icgio linteata, or
the litun iegion, becaufe they had bound themfelves by it
under a canopy or covering of linen. Ma^ificent buck-
lers weie given them ; and, that they might be dilKn-
gui(hed in an engagement, their helmets were adorned
with ftately crefts ^.
Carvilius The conful Carvilius having left Rome, and put himfelf
gmurj ^i (he head of the army Attilius had commanded, took his

Sammum. ^^y towards Samnium, which he entered without oppo-
fition, the enemy not having yet (ini(hed their prepara-
tions. His firil exploit was the redufiion of Amitemum,
a city in Sabinia, fubje£l to the Samnites, where he cut
in pieces two thoufand eight hundred men, and made
four thoufand two hundred and feventy prifoners. Fa«
pirius, having haftened his levies in Rome, took the field,
made himfelf mafter of Furconia, . in the neighbourhood
of Amiternum, and then joined his colleague. After
they had laid wafte that part of the Volfcian territory
which was fubje£l to the Samnites, they parted again;
Carvilius turning off towards Cominium, on the confines
of the eaftern part of Samnium, with a de(ign to befiege
it ; and Papirius marching towards Aquilonia, the place
of the enemy^s general rendezvous. The latter encamped
within (ight of the enemy, and tried their ftrength and
courage in fome flight (kirmifhes, before he proceeded to
a general a£lion. At length he refolved to venture a
battle, and therefore fent an exprefs to his colleague, de-
firing him to prels the fiege of Cominium, left the enemy
ihould fend detachments from thence to reinforce their
Magimtfs ^^my near Aquilonia. He then affembled his troops, and
§fHtt Rq" fo animated them by his fpeech, that they all cried out^
, matis tQ they were ready to follow him whitherfoever hd (hould
fi&^^* lead them. From the general to the meaneft foldier, all

were eager to engage ; they were only uneafy to fee the
battle dSferred till next day. Even the augur, whofe bu-
iinefs it was to obferve the prefages, chofe rather to make

9 Liv. lib. X. cap* %%.

fhi komdn Hijory.

ft falfe report, than to check this general ardour ' (X)*
In the beginning of the a£);ion the linen legion, which lay-
Under the moft facred engagements not to give way,
made a moft gallant refiftance, and, notwithftanding the
utmoft efforts of the Romans, kept their ground, till all
on a fudden they difcovered, at fome diftance, a cloud of
duft, fuch as is raifed by the marching of an army, but
was now occafioned by the fervants and muleteers of the
Roman camp, whom the conful had mounted upon beafts
of burden, ordering them to appear in the heat of the ac*
tion, and raife as great a cloud of duft as poflible. Pa-
pirius, though the author of the ftratagem, feemed to be
furprifed at this new fight. As the fervants of the army
had provided thcmfelves with branches of trees, which

' Liv. lib. X. cap. 39, 40.

323

(X) It Was then cuftomary
to judge of the fuccefs of bat-
tles beforehand, by the hafte
or ilownefs with which the fa-
cred chickens picked up their
food. The augur obferved,
that the chickens fed but flow-
ly, which was a bad omen ;
but as the miniflers of reli-
gion are not always the moft
icrupulous, or the mofl credu-
lous, the augur, depending
more on the ardour of the fol-
dien, than the greedinefs of
his chickens, declared, that
they had fed greedily. Papi-
rius heard the augury with
joy, and immediately ordered
his men to prepare for battle ;
but the next day, when the
army was ready to march out'
and engage, the report being
fpread among the troops, that
the prefages were not favour-
able, the Roman knights,
thinking it a matter of fuch
importance as ought to be
communicated to the general,
prevailed upon young Papi-
rius^ the conful's nephew, to
difcover to him the error he

was in concerning the au^
guries. " Be of good cou*
rage, (anfwcred the general),
and behave yourfelf in the ac-
tion like a brave man. If the
augur has made me a falfe re-
port, he has drawn the ven*
geance of the gods upon him«
felf by his irreligion. As for
me, I conclude £e augury to
be favourable, iince it was fo
declared." Thus fpoke Papi*
rius, and then ordered the un-^
faithful keeper of the facred
chickens to be placed at the
head of the firft line, where
he was killed by an unknown
hand, before the two armies
came to a clofe engagement.
He was probably killed by or-
der of the conful, who, pre*
tending to look upon his death
as a flroke from heaven, ccied
out, when the news was
brought him, ** The ven-
geance of the gods has fpent
itfelf on the perfon who de-
ferved it. We have nothing
more to fear from their an-
ger (i).»

(i) Liv* lib. «. cap. 40^
Y 2

they

SH

The Sam-
totaify dt"
feated.

Comtntum
token f with
many other
cities.

TheFalifd
fue for a
pace.

The Roman Niftory.

thcf trailed on the ground to r^fe the greater daft, no«
thing could be feen but the tops of fome ftandards and
lances, and fomething like cavalry, which feemed to flank
a body of infantry. While both armies were under no
fmall apprehenfion of this frefh body of troops, Papirius
all on a fudden cried out with an air of joy, ** Cominium
is taken, and my colleague is coming to my afliftance.
Courage, fellow-foldiers ; let us gain the viftory our-
felves, before another army comes to ihare with us the
glory and the fpoils." At thcfe words, both the infantry
and cavalry fell with new vigour on the linen legion,
which was at length obliged to give way, their fear of the
enemy, who had penetrated into the midft of their batta-
lions, not fufFering them to attend to any other apprehen-
fions. Their example was followed by the reft of the
Samnite army ; their foot in the left wing retired to Aqui-
lonia, and thofe in the right regained the camp ; but their
horfe fled to Bovianum, a city a great way from the field
of battle. Twelve thoufand of the Samnites, according
to Orofius, were flain in this battle ; but, according to
Livy, above thirty thoufand. Their camp wa& taken,
and foon after the city of Aquilonia, where moft of the
fugitives had taken (belter •.

In the mean time Carvilius made himfelf matter of the
ftrong and important city of Cominium«^ The befieged,
after having made a vigorous defence, were at length
obliged to furrender, to the number of fifteen thoufand
four hundred, aft^r four thoufand three hundred and
eighty had been flairi in the attacks. Then the two con-
fuls joined their forces, to complete the deftruftion of the
Samnites, who had no army to oppofe them. Their
fcheme being approved by the fenate, Carvilius took Vo-
lana, Palumbinum, and H^rculaneum, all cities of great
note. Papirius made himfelf matter of Sepinum, a town
fituated at the foot of the Apennines, and deemed impreg*
nable. But the Hetrurians taking arms again, it was
thought neceflary to recall one of the confuls with his
army from Samnium. They were accordingly ordered to
catt lots for the condu£t of the Hetrurian war, which fell
to Carvilius, who thereupon battened to Rome, which he
entered in triumph, and thence continued his march into
Hetruria, where he took TrofTulum by aflTault, and obliged
the Falifci to fue for peace ; granting them only a year's
truce, for which he made them pay three hundred and

• Liv. lib. X. cap* 41. Front. Strat* Val. Max. lib. vii. cap,
as. Orof. lib. ^1.

ninety

The Roman Hiftory. 325

«

ninety thoufand afes of brafs. After this tranfa€^ion he
returned to Rome. Papirius arrived about the fame time
from Samniura, and obtained a triumph, the chief orna-
ments of which were the fpoils taken from the Samnites,
efpecially from the linen legion (Y).

In the next eleftion of confuls, the perfons chorcn by
the centuries were Fabius Gurges, the fon of Fabius Maxi-
mus« and Junius Brutus, fumamed Scseva, of an illuf-
trious, though plebeian family. It is undoubted, that Fa- Fabiut
bius the father, who was then prince of the fenate, oppofed Maxmut
^ the promotion of his fon. Perhaps he did not think him ^PH'^!^
qualified for fo high a ftation, or was induced, as Vale- ^Q/^is}^t9
rius Maximus is of opinion ', by a republican principle, ihe<onfu-
judging it a pernicious precedent to confer fo many ho- late.
nours on one family $ for he had been five times conful,
and his father and grandfather had been likewife promoted
to that dignity* Junius Brutus, the other conful, was no
better qualified for the confulate than his colleague ; fo
that now the government of the republic was in the hands
of two perfons of fmall abilities, efpecially for war ; which
was at this time a very impolitic choice. They had fcarcc
cntcitd upon their ofiBce, when the Falifci in Hetruria,
encouraged by a plague which rag^d in Rome, broke their
truce $ and the old enemies of Rome, the Samnites, tak-
ing arms again, entered Campania. The confuls having
drawn lots for their provinces, Hetruria fell to Brutus,
and Sjimnium to Fabius. The former, affiiled by Garvi-
lius, whom the republic appointed to be his lieutenant,
over-ran Hetruria, defeated the Falifci, and returned to
Rome, loaded with fpoils; while Fabius, having raihiy ^he conful
attacked the Samnites, was put to flight, after he had lofl: Fdhius

three thottland men in the a£kion. The number of the ^«''^^J/^»

feated by

% Val. Max. lib. iv. cap. i. j^^-^^^^

(Y) Papiriufi, on his return ,the fun ihone between the rof-
to Rome, dedicated a temple tra and the houfe appointed .
to Quirinus, which his father, for the reception of ambaffa-
when dictator, had vowed, dors, one of the conful's he-
Upon this temple was fixed a raids ufed to proclaim with a
fuii-dial, the firft that had ever loud voice, that it was mid-
been fcen at Rome. The Ro- day : but now they could mark
mans, for fome ages, marked the feveral hours of the day :
only the rifing and fetting of and the water-clock, invented
the fun; afterwards they ob- foon after, enabled them to rec-
ferved the hour of noon, but kon the hours of the night. .
in a very grofs manner. When

y 3 wounded

326 fh€ Roman Hijoiy,

wounded was greater, and ^ofl: of them died fof want of
attendance, the conful having left the fervants of the
army^ and the baggage, a great way behind him °. The
news of an zCtion fo ill condu£ted, exafperated the people
and fenate tp fuch a degree, that the conful was recalled,
and would have been depofed, bad not his fadier fpoken
in his behalf, with all the dignity of a man of his age^
Fabius merit, and employments, and even offered to ferve under
Maxtmus^ his fon the remainder of the campaign, in quality' of his
4T^i*/Jir, lieutenant. This offer was immediately accepted, and
■ Fabius fet out with bis fan for Samnium i which they had.
fcarce entered, when they were met by the enemy, who
offered them battle. The Samnites, whom no adverfe
fortune could difcourage, made their firft anfet with fuch
vigour, that the Romans could fcarce withftand them.
Pontius Herennius, their general, elated with bis firft
vi£lory, made incredible efforts to gain a fecond. On
the other hand the conful, to wipe off the (hame of his
late defeat, fought as a private foldier in the firft line }
but Pontius, having broken through the troop which cor
vered young Fabius, endeavoured to furround him on aU
' iides ; the father perceiving his fituation, threw himfdf
into the midfl of the enemy's battalions, and, by bis ex^
ample, animated the legions to exert themfelves with fuch
vigour, that Giirges was refcued, and the enemy routed.
anJde/gats Twenty thoufand of the enemy were flain, and four thou-
tAiftis fand taken prifoners. Among the latter was Pontius

bimfelf, who had done^in this fatal engagement all that
could b£ expefted from an experienced commander, and
gallant foldier. Rome would have been more fenGbly af-.
fe£^ed with this vi£lory at any other time 3 but the plague,
which made a dreadful havock of her citizens, much
damped her joy. To appeafe the wrath of the gods, re-
courfe was had to the ufual remedy, fuperflition. The
Sibylline bpoks were confulted, and there it was read,
that| to put a flop to the Prague, the god ^fculapius
fhould he brought to Rome from Epidaurus, a city of Pe-
loponnefu$, where he was worfhipped under the figure of
a ferpent. An embaffy was accordingly appointed for that
purpofe ''.

The confular year being almoft expired, and the two
ponfuls employed in carrying on the war in their refpec-
tive provinces, a didlator was appointed to fupply their

«Flor. EpitJib xi. Eutrop.lib. ii* Zonar. lib, viii^ wLiv.
lib. X. cap. 47, Orof, lib, viii. cap* ^21 Zonar. lib. viii. Flor,
ppit.xi,

f oom I

The Raman Hijbry,

5^7

room ; but his nomination ptoving defe£liye, the republic
fell into an interregnum, when L. Poilhumius, one of
the'magiftrates named to gorem the ftate till the new
cledtion, held the comitia, and, by his intrigues^ got
himfelf elected the third time. His colleague was Junius
BrutuS) furnamed Bubulcns. Pofthumius, a man of a
haughty, enterprifing, and untraAable temper, afiumcd
to himfelf the command of the war in Samnium, without
drawing lots with his colleague, or waiting for a decree of
the fenate in his favour. About this time the god £fcu- ^feufaptm
lapius, who had been expedled a whole year, arrived ^foi^^t to
from Epidaurus, to the great joy of the people ; and the ^**^*
plague is faid to have ceafed foon after ' (Z). The two

con-

X IKon. Hal. in Excerpt. Val. Ctc. de Nat. Deor . lib. lii. Plut.
inQuxtt.Ram.

(Z) ^fculaplus had a tem-
jple in Epidaurus; and the
priefts, who nrelided over the
worfhip of this new god, bred
one oH thofe ftakes, which
were eafily tamed, and taught
to follow any perfons where
they pleafed. This ibake the
vulgar honoured as the god
himfelf^ His ufual hole was
under the feet of the fine flone
ilatue of iEfculapius, which
the famous fculptor Thrafy-
medes of Paros had made;
and, Whenever he came out
'of it, his appearance was un-
^erflood to preiage the cure of
the fick perfon« The Roman
envoys were brought into the
temple ; and it is probable that
the Epidaurians made them
pay dear for the relief they
defired, their reputation and
intereft being then very fmall
in Greece: ilowever that be,
the Epidaurians fufiered them
to carry away the fnake, which
drew all the people in the
neighbourhood into the city.
The joy the Romans (hewed,
upon the arrival of this falu-
tary god, is not to be e:i^reired»

Altars were erected all along
the banks of the Tiber, and
numberlefs facrifices offered.
The Romans defigned to re-
ceive him within their walls,
and there build him a tem-
ple ; hut the god is faid to
have chofen his own al>ode in
the midll of the Tiber, on an
ifland formed in the infancy of
the republic, by ftraw, trunks
of trees, fand, and the rubbiih
of the city. Thither the fer-
pent retired, gently fwimming
through the water. From that
time it was called the ifland of
^fculapius, and a temple was
foon erected to him there, and
enriched with numberlefs pre-
fents. It was buiit in the
fhape of a (hip, the higher
part of it refembling the flern,
and the lower the prow. The
temple of the god of health
was much frequented by the
common people at Rome. The
fick came and paflled the night
in it ; and either imagination,
or the ftrength of nature, fome-
times wrought cures there,
which were afcribed to the
power of the god. Thofc who
Y4 tf

J

3^»

fofhumius
ajfumt4 th$
€OHdu£i of
ihi nvar in

fakiJ Co-
minium
mud Fenu-

The Roman Hi/lory.

confuls fet out for their refpeflive provinces, Brutus for
Hetruria, and Pofthumius for Samnium., The former
performed nothing which hiftorians have thought .worth
tranfmitting to poflerity. In Samnium the two Fabii
pained great advantages, and were actually employed at
tne (lege of Coipii>ium, which the Samnites had rebuilt,
yrhcn Pofthumius arrived with ^ new confular army. Fa-
bius Gurges had been continued in the command of the
army, in quality of proconful j but, neverthelefs, Pofthu-
niius fent him orders to defift from the fiege, and leave
that enterprize to him. Fabius bad recourfe to the fe-
nate, acquainting the confcript fathers with the orders he
had received from the conful. The fenate immediately
difpatched a meiTenger to Pofthumius, enjoining him to
bend his forces another way, and not difturb Fabius in
the enterprize he was carrying on ; but Pofthumius,
without paying any regard to the authority of the fenate,
gave their mefl<;nger this haughty anfwer: *^ Tell the
confcript fathers, that it is their duty to obey their con-
ful, and not his to fubmit to their commands.'' He then
marched towards Cominium, refolving to give the Fabii
battle^ if chey did not yield to his obftinate humour.
Young Fabius, being warranted by the authority of the
fenate, wasf for withftanding the rafh aggreftbr ; but his
father prevailed upon him, for the fake of the public
goo^, to give way to his imperious rival. Then Pofthu*
mius preffed Cominium with ftich vigour, that he made
himfelf mafter of it in a few days. From thence he
turned his arms againft Venufium, an important place on
the confines of Apulia, Lucania, and Samnium, and fub-
je£led it to the Romans. He then gave the, fenate an ac-
count of his conqueft, which, he hoped, would have
reconciled the confcript fathers to him, and made them
forget his difobedience. He propofed, that a colony

recovered, facrificed to the
god, by way of thankfgiving,
a cock ; for this fowl was fa*
cred to iBfculapius, and a
fymbol of the vigilance which
is neceffary for the cure of
^ifeafes. It wa$ in allufion to
this, that Socrates, when con-
demned to die, and ^here|)y

delivered from all the evils and
diflempers attending this life,
ordered a cock to be {acHficed
to ^fculapius. There were
fome remams of the temple of
j^fcutapius to be feen in the
fixteenth century, near the
church of St. Bartholomew, ix^
the ifland of the. Tiber (i).

(i) Cic. de Nat. Dfor. lib. iii. Val. Max. lib. i« €ap< S,
Metamorpb. Ub. xv. Pltn. \\b. xix» cap, i.

migbt

The Roman Bljlory. 329

might be fent to Venufium, to keep the neighbouring
provinces in awe. His propofal was approved, but occa-
(ion taken from it to mortify him, and make him fenfible,
that the fenate preferied obedience to valour. It was
cuilomary for the conqueror of a city to be one of the
triumviri fent thither to fettle a colony ; but^ in the cafe
of Venufium, the fenate, without any regard to Pofthu«
mius, named three others, allowing him no ihare in that
honour. Nor was this all: to humble the proud Fofthu*
mius yet more, they granted a triumph to young Fjabius,
his rival, who entered Rome on the calends of the month
Sextilis. The brave Pontius, famous for having fur- ^«»^*m
prifed the Roman legions, and made them pafs under the ^"^ ^
yoke at the Caudinc Forks, followed the chariot of the ^^^
conqueror, and, by an a£l: of inhumanity unworthy of a
civilized nation, was condemned to lofe his head. While FMus
young Fabius rode in his triumphal chariot, his father triumpbu
followed him on horfeback. He had formerly, in his firft
triumphs, carried his fon in his chariot with him ; and
"was now overjoyed to march after him, to mingle in the
crowdj and to hear the acclamations of the people, and
the fongs of the foldiers, in praife of the triumphant vic-
tor: however, the fpe£bators did him juftice, faying, that
the fon was honoured with a triumph, but that the father
deferved it f^

Pofthumius, feeing his rival thus honoured, and him-
felf treated with fo much contempt, employed bitter in-
veftives againft the fenate, and invented a new kind of
revenge, which was, to diftribute among his foldiers all
the booty he had taken in the two conquered cities, with-
out lodging any part of it in the public treafury. He
then, refentfuliy difbanded his troops before his fuccef-
for could arrive. His colleague Brutus prefided in the
comitia, when P. Cornelius Rufinus and Manius Curius
Dentatus were chofen. Pofthumius was no fooner out of
office, than he was brought to a trial before the comitia
by tribes. Before he left Rome, he had employed a de-
tachment of his troops in grubbing up a foreft on his own
eftate. His accufation chiefly turned on his employing,
in fo mean an office, men of free condition, who ow^
no fervice but to the public. As this crime offended the p^u^^^i^
people more than his difobedience to the fenate, they y^^^^^
condemned him to pay a confiderable fine *. thefeiffli^

y I^iv. £;pit. xL Faft. Capit Plut. in Fab. & Val. Max. lib. ix.
cap. 7. « Dion,, Hah in Excerpt. V^lefii. Liv. Epit. xi.

'The

330 Tk£ Romott Hifi^ty.

The war with the Samnites had already fumifhed the
Roman generals with twenty-four tiiumphs ; but had coft
the conquerors a great deal of blood, many fatigues^ and
iraA expences s fo that the republic was tired of engaging
the fame enemy. In order, therefore, to put an es^ to
this tedious war, both confuls were ordered into Sam^
mum, where they a£ied feparately \ each» at the head of
a confular army, ravaged the country, took feverai cities,
gained fome battles^ and at length obliged that gallant
nation, which, after the lofs of their brave .general and
^le governor Pontius, was no longer in a condition to
oppofe the progrefis of their arms, to fue for peace. The
Yr. of Ft. republic readily confented to enter into an alliance with
A **^ch *^^"* ^^ fourth time ; but left the fettling of the ar-
Is I tides to Curius Dentatus, a man of great probity, and
U. C. 467. ^ho, without any vanity or oftentation, lived in that vo»
■ 1" lontary poverty, which the philofophers of thofe times

JmaUianct recommended. The Samnite deputies found him fitting
wth the Qjj ^ wooden fcat near the fire, dreiBog his own dinner,
SamMiUu ^IjJ^j, eonfifted of a few roots, and o^ered him a laige
fum of money ; but Curius exprefled his indigaatios with
a difdainful fmile. ^* Without doubt (faid he), ny po«
verty infpires you with hopes of corrupting me ; hut your
attempts are vain. I had rather command the rich, than
be rich myfelf. Carry back with you this fatal metal,
which men make ufe of only for their deftrudlion ; and
tell your countrymen, that they will find it as difficult to
corrupt as to conquer me *.** The conditions Curius im«
pofed upon them are not. known ; but it is probable they
were no-ways favourable to that warlike and reftlefs na-
tion. The treaty was no fooner concluded than the con-*
ful returned to Rome, where he triumphed, to the inex-
preflible joy of the people, who found themfelves dit
burdened of a war which had lafted forty-nine years, and
given the republic more trouble thai^ their wars with all
the other ftates of Italy together.
neSa- The conqueft of Samnium drew after it the entire rc-p

^nej re* duftion of the Sabines, whofe confederacy with Rome
^id» was as ancient as the city itfelf; but notwithftanding
their. alliance with the republic » they had joined the Sam-
nites. Curius fubjeded the whole country ; but as they
were old allies, tK weight of the yoke was leflened, and
the right of Roman citizenihip beftowed upon them,
without the right of fuflFrage. For the conqueft of the

a Plut, in Apopbth. Val. MaXi lib, iy, cap. %* Plin. ib. ij,
•ep, 6. Aua. dc Vir. Illuftr.

Sabine^

The Roman Hift&fy. 331

Sablnes, Curius had a fecond triumph decreed the fame
year, an honour which no general had ever enjoyed. As
Curius was by birth a plebeian, fome patricians attempted
to caft s^ ftain upon his reputation, accufine him of ap-
propriating to himfelf part of the fpoils talcen from the
enemy. As the proofs were not clear, Curius was pat
to his oath ; and then he confefledj that he had kept a
little wooden oil-veflel for making libations to the gods ;
but protefted, that he had refervea nothing more. Such
was the charadiler of his difintereftednefs, that he was be-
lieved, the maUce of his accufers ferving only to heighten
the luftre of his virtue K

In the following confulate of M. Valerius Corvlnus,
^nd Q^Cssdicius N[o£tua, Curius Dentatus was fent into
Lucania, in quality of proconful, to aflift the Thurini
againft the Lucanians, who had invaded their territory.
In this expedition, being attended with his ufual fucceis, T^e Luem*
lie defeated the Lucanians, and obliged them to retire. J'^*V^
The two confttls fpent their whole year in works of peace, -^'^^^^
and in fending colonies to the conquered cities *, namely,
to Adria, 9 maritime town, faid to have given name to
the Adriatic fea; to Caftrum in Picenum ; and to Sena,
another city on the Adriatic, at the mouth of the.Seno,
in the country of the Senones. As men were grown
more vicious, and the number of malefadors daily en-
creafed, three new judges were appointed to relieve the
praetor, and try criminals. The punifhments thefe judgeo
could inflid: were confined to pecuniary fines; never-
thelefs they were ftyled triumviri capitales, becaufe the ^riumwrk
care of the prifons, where the gr^atefl criminals were capitalef.
kept, was committed to them, and they had the diredion
of their execution. Thefe new magiilrates were chofen
annually in the comitia by tribes ; and from their fentence
lay no appeal. The time of this general peace was alfb
•thought a proper feafon to take a cenfus of the Roman
people, by which it appeared, that the number of Roman
citizens fit to . bear arms amounted to two hundred and
feventy-three thoufand «•

The fruit of this new peace abroad was trouble and di(^ TA^ dtbt-
fenfion at home. The people, opprefled by the ufuries orsmurmut
of the rich citizens, revived a quarrel, which had begun ^Sf'^'fl '^
near two hundred years before. They kept themfelves at *v*'^^
firll within bounds, only demanding, that fome abufes

- V Flor. in Epit. xi. A\i&. de Illuftr. Vidf . c Liv«

%it. xi. FciT. Jpomp* lib. xviin

Ihould

332 ^^ Roman Hijory.

{hottld be reformed with refpc£l to contrails, whereby
creditors exafled an immoderate intereft for money lent.
But in the courfe of the enfuing year, when Q^Marcias
Tremultts, and P. Cornelius Anrina were confuls a fecond
time, an accident drove them to extremities : T. Veturius,
one of thofe confuls who had been furprifed in the Cau-
dine Forks, died infolvent ; and his fon, who had been
educated with great care, and formed to virtue, borrowed
a confiderable fum of one C. Plotius, to defray the ex-
pence of his father's funeral. Plotius, who had alfo lent
great fums to the father, foon after prefied the fon to pajr
both his father's debts, and that which he himfelf had
ni erueUy lately contra3ed. Toung Veturius, having neither mo^
^ a ergiU- ney nor credit, was forced to fubmit to ilavery, and wori:
i«r #a^ for his creditor, till he had difcharged the whole debt
4rw«r. jjg y^^^^ i^jg fervitude with great conftancy^ and made it
his ftudy to pleafe his creditor in every thing, till that in-
famous wretch foliclted him to gratify a brutal paflion he
bad conceived. Veturius reje£)Led the ihameftd addrefles
of Plotius, Mrith the utmoft indignation. His conftancy
was immoveable, though his cruel mafter treated him
moft unmercifully for his virtuous refiftance. One day,
being covered ail over with blood, and torn with ftripes,
be made his efcape out of the houfe, appeared in the fo
rum, where he fliewed the people the marks of his bari-
barous creditor's cruelty, and difcovered the infamy of
his tyrant. The people feized this opportunity to decry
the ufurers, and to demand the abolition ot the law,
which impowered them to reduce infolvent debtors to
flavery. This inhuman law had been annulled before on
a fimilar occaGon ; but the patricians had, by their autho-
rity and intereft, revived it. As for the execrable Pl<v<
tius, the tribunes, accufing him before the afiembled cen-
turies, he was condemned to death.

'The plebeians, not content with this vi£lory, infilled
on the abolition of the above mentioned law. The patri-
cians oppofed it to the utmoft of their power : ** This is
robbing us (faid they) of our fecurity for what we have
lent. Debts muft be paid, according to the old law,
either in body or goods." The people^ finding the pa-
tricians obftinate and inflexible, had recourfe to an expe-
SeeepiHof dient which had always proved efieftual. They left the
the people, citv, andpofted themfelves on the hiU Janiculus, with the
Tiocr between them and their profecutors. By this re-
moval of the people, the city being left deftitutc of arti-
ficers and labourers^ and no provifipu being brought

tbithec

The Rt^an Niftory. ^ 333

thhhcr from the country (for the country people had like-
wife their complaints), the patricians and rich citizens
found themfelves obliged to humour the multitude. The
confuls, therefore^ of this year^ M. Claudius Marcellus»
and C. Nautius Rutilus, were ordered to name a dilatory
in order to appeafe the revolted populace. The perfon ^ H«rf«r.
they named was (^ Hoitenfius, who, entering into ^fi^^^^"
treaty with the feparatifts, made them the following con- . ^^*
cefiions; that the law in queftion fhould be repealed;
and that two other laws, which had been formerly made,
but no-way regarded by the patricians, fhould be ftri£tly
obferved for the future. Thefe imported^ that the decrees Terms $f
made by the tribes fhould be equally t>bferved both by the riconcUia^
patricians and plebeians ; and that all laws fhould firft ^^*
pafs in the fenate, and be afterwards brought to the co-
mitia, to be there approved or rejefted. The country
people complained, that juflice was not adminiftered at
Home on market-days ; and that, when any caufes were
depending, they were forced to leave their work and re-
turn to the city again. This grievance was removed.
The didiator promifed, that market-days fhould no lon-
ger be vacation-days for the judges, that the hufband-
men might have their caufes heard before they went home.
When thefe articles were drawn up, and the people's
minds began to be calmed, Q^Hortenfius died. It being,
therefore, neceffary to nominate another di£l;ator, Q^ Fabitif
Fabius Maximus was nominated to that dignity, who Maximus
chofe for his general of the horfe a famous plebeian, ^^^^^*
named Volumnius Flamma. By the interpofition of thefe
two • great men, the work which Hortenfius had begun
was foon accomplifhed \ and the people having attained
to the higheft pitch of their defires, returned to the city.
The balance of power leaned now rather^ to their fide.
The nobility had no other advantage over them than that
of great riches, and the refpe£l naturally paid to perfons
of high birth \ The peace of the city being therefore
no more interrupted by inteftine contefts, we mall fee the
republic increafe her dominions abroad with incredible
rapidity. The great Fabius died foon after he bad happily
accomplifhed the accommodation. In his life-time he
bad been looked upon as a prodigy of valour, wifdom, and
virtue ; and upon his death the people contributed to the
expence of his obfequies with fo much generofity, that his

4 Flor. Epit. xi. Zonar. Aniii lib* viii. Valer. Max. lib. vL cap. i*
Dion. Hal. in Excerpt. Val.

fon,

J34 ^^^ Rman tfifiay.

fon, with the vidlims oiered at his funeral, gave a piMt
entertainment to the whole city \ It is probable, that
after the reconciliadon of the dilator, Fabius piefided at
the ele£tion of the new confuls* M. Valerius Potitus and
C. JElius Partus, whofe year proved barren of remarkable
events ; as did alfo the next, when C. Claudius Canina
and M. i£milius Lepidus were confuls. In the following
confulateofC. Servilius Tucca andL. Csccilius Metellus,
the Tarentines, jealous of the profperity of the Romans,
and apprehending that they aimed at the conqueft of all
Italy, raifed up both old and new enemies againft the re-
public, and engaged her in one of the moft formidable
wars flie had ever fuftained.

Yr. of Fl. Tarentum was a city of Great Greece, which compre*^
*o7^' hended the greateft part of the fouth coaft of Italy. Mofi

Ante Chr. ^f ^j^^ ^j^j^g jj^ ^jjj^ {^^.g^ proyince had been founded by

U,c!47t. Greeks, who brought thither with them the Greek Ian*
•.l_i^ g}i^gCf cuftoms, and manners. The Tarentines in par-^
ticular were a colony of Spartans, who, fettling on the
continent of Italy, under the condud of one Phalantus,
made themfelves matters of a city, firft called CEbalia,
and afterwards Tarentum, from one Taras, or, as others
will have it, Tarentus, who is faid to have increafed and ,
beautified the city, after the Greeks were mafters of it
Thefe tranfpanted Spartans foon forgot the fevere difci-
pline of Sparta, and plunged themfelves into all the de-
baucheries with which the reft of the, Greeks were re-
proached. Their whole life was fpcnt in feafts, fports,
and public entertainments. Buffoons and proftitutes go-
verned the ftate, and often determined the mod important
ii^airs by a joke, or an indecent gefture. They bore a
mortal hatred to the Romans, and dreaded their dominion,
not fo much out of fear of lofing their liberty, as of being
difturbed by that warlike and rough people in the purfuit
of their pleafures. They, therefore, employed all the
Grecian fubtlety todrawfuch a number oi enemies upon
them, as ftill to keep them at a diftance from their terri-
tories, and this without appearing to be concerned.

At the fame time the Senones, having raifed a formid«
able army, marched into Hetruria, withh a defign to bc-
fiege Arctium, a city about forty leagues from Rome, at
a fmall diftance from the Arnus. The Aretines had im-
mediately recourfc to the Romans, who, they knew, woukt
never fuffer the Gauls to make conquefts in Hetruria^

e Liv. ibid. Vjil. Max. lib. vi. cap. 9. AuS. dc Vir. IJluft. Cic«
in Orat. pro Planco.

and

The Sim*
ties kiU the
deputies of
Rome, and
defeat tht
Romtam
arenjf.

The RomM ff^ory. ^jj

«nd thereby open tHcmfclvcff a way to Rome. The re-
public, alarmed at the leaft motion of fo powerful an
enemy, clifpatched the Conful, Lucius Caecilius, with an
army, to the affiftance of the Aretini ; but, before any
%Ql of hoftility, a deputation was fent to the Senones, to
diifuade them from their defign. Hie proud Gauls, in-
ftead of liftening to the mediation of Rome, killed the
deputies, and brought their troops before Arctium. In
confequence of this outrage the conful advanced with his
army^ and came to an engagement with the enemy, in
which he was killed, with feven legionary tribunes, the
moft part of the Roman knights, and thirteen thoufand
private men. Upon the news of this dreadful overthrow,
the famous Curius Dentatus was ordered with frefli troops
into Hetruria, to fupply the place of the conful Csecilius \
but that wife commander, inftead of marching to the re-
lief of Arctium, and engaging the enemy, fluihed with
their late vi^^ory, took his route along the confines of
Hetruria, and, entering the country of the Senones, in
the abfence of their beft troops, ravaged it without oppo-
iition. He plundered and burnt their houfes, laid wade
their fields, put all tfaofe to the fword who were able to
bear arms, carried the women and children into captivity,
and, in (hort, reduced the whole country to a vaft dcfert,
in which fcarce remained any appearance of its having
ever been cultivated or inhabited ^. Thus he took ample
revenge for the murder of the Roman ambafTadors.

Next yea'r, in the beginning of the adminiftration of
the new confuls, P. Cornelius Dolabella, and Cn. Do-
mitius Calvinus, the Boii, the Hetrurians, and the Sam-
nites, once more declared againft the republic^ excited
by the intrigues of the Tarentines ; but, notwithftanding
this great confederacy, the fenate and people repofed fo
much confidence in the new confuls, that they did not
think of creating a didator, as was ufual in times of great
danger. Nor xvas their confidence ill grounded ; for Do-
mitius taking the field, and meeting the Senones, who
had raifed the fiege of Arctium, and were mardiing to
Rome, to revenge the devaftations made in their country, TheSenonei
he gave thdkn a total overthrow. Only, a fmall number ^tfi^tedi
of them efcaped, and faved themfelves in the country of
the Boii, whom they prefled to take arms immediately,
and revenge the common caufe of the Gauls. Accord-
ingly the Boii, having raifed all the men in their territory

Curius
Dentatus

lays their

country

wafii.

^ Polyb. lib. it. Dio. apod Fu], UrOnum.

wh«

53«

mndtdfo
the Boii
mud He-
trwrians.

M Italy in
mrms a-
gainft the
RomatUn

nntines
fall upon ^
a Roman

andinfuU
their am^
kajfadors.

the Roman HiJIoiy^

wbo -^ttt able to bear arins> and being retnfovced hj a
great body of Hetrurian^ purfued the attempt^ wbkb
the Senones had begun) and marched towards Rome^
but the confuly Corndiu8» who waited for them, on the
banks of the lake Vadeilionisy in Hetruria, now II Lago
di Baflano, engaged them, killed almoft.all the Hetni-
rianS) and the greater part of the Boii« The latter made
fome faint effort^ againft the Romans the next year \ but
being defeated, they were forced to .fue for peace. As
for the Senones, they were fo utterly deftroyed, that
there fcarce remained any footftepa in Italy of a nation^
which had diftinguiflied itfelf fo much by the taking of
Rome 8.

In the following cqnfulate of C Fabricius and Q^^
Ifnilius Papus, almoft all Italy rofe in arms againft the im-
perious republic ; but Fabricius, being fent into Lucaniai
defeated the confederate forces of the Lucanians, Brutians,
and Samnites, and made himfelf mafter of their camp.
Twenty-five thoufand of the enemy, with their general
Statilius, were flain. The Romans^ imagining that the
god Mars had fought in perfon for them, returned him
folemn thanks for his afliftance by public fupplications^.
As for the Tarentines, though they were the real authors
of this war, they had not yet appeared in the field, nor
openly declared againft Rome ; but an accident induced
them at length to throw off the maflc, and brought on,
after a long feries of events, their utter ruin. Valerius,
or, as others call him, Cornelius, one of the maritime
duumviri, or admirals of the Roman fleet, happened to
come to the mouth oi their harbour with ten fiiips, while
the idle inhabitants of the city were aflembled, as ufual,
in the theatre, which looked towards the harbour. The
Tarentines imagining that Rome, having difcovered their
fecret plots, had fent that fleet to punifli them, they, with-
out hefitation, ran down to the port, attacked the Roman
fleet with the fury of madmen, funk one fhip, and took
four; the other five efcaping. All the prifoners fit to
bear arms were put to the fword, and the others fold for
flaves to the heft bidder. The Romans, being informed of
this unexpe£^ed a£): of hoftility, fent a deputation to Ta-
rentum to demand fatisfaftion for the infult oflTered to the
republic ; but the Tarentines infulted the ambafTadors in
the moft outrageous manner. They admitted them to an
audience in the theatre, where Pofthumius Mcgellas, who

% Appian. apud Ful. Uriin; ^ PHn. lib. xxxiv. cap. 6. Am- '

mian. MarcelL lib. xxiv. Dion. Hal. in Legat,

was

iiras at thfcliead of the dVnbaff^'* ^"^ ^^^ been tliricc con*
ful, lia^^ngudd the affemWy' if Oreek. His advaiiiced
age, hfe pferfoiial merit, and, above all, the charaftcr of*
an aittbaffalctdlf' from a powerful people, ought to have ,
gained hini^refpeft; but theTarentines, heated with
wine, not only gave little attention to his difcourfc, but
burft into laughter, and hiffed him^ whenever he dropped
an improper expfeffion, or pronoiinced a word with a fo-
reign accent. Wheii he began to fpeak of reparation of
ihjuries/ they flew into a rage, arid I'ather drOve, than ^ . .

difmifled him Out of the aflembly. T

As he walked off with an air of gravity arid dignity,
which he preferved, notwith (landing this brutal reception, .^ ^ ^
a buffoon^ named ^hilonidesj coming up to him, urined
upon his robe; a newfource bf immoderate laughter to
the mad and drunken multitude, who applaiidcd the out-
rageous lnf<rftnce. Pofthnmiusj ttirnirig about to the
affembly, (hewtd them the Ikirt of his garment fo defiled J
but when he fourid that this infult incpeafcd the loudnefs of
their contamelibus mirth, he faid, without the Icaft emo-
tion, ** Laugh on, Tarentines, laugh on; the tiihfe is cow-
ing :when you will weepV It is not a little bl66d that will
purify this garment." He withdrew, arid Embarked foi^
Rome. When the Tarentines began to refleft on the
enormity of their condufl^ and at the feme rime on the
inability of their neighbours to defend them againft fo
powerful a republic, they caft their eyes updn Pyrrhus
king of Epirus, whofe reputation for valour, and long
Experience m war, had gained him the reputation of one
of the heroes of Greece. They therefore difpatched am- Send an
baffadors to him, but rather to found his drfpofition, than ^^^ '•
to enter, without farther deliberation, itito any engage- king tf
ments with him. As Pyrrhus loved aftiori, and the buftle Epirutm
and hurry of war, the ambaffadors found him in a dlfpo*
fitioh to liften to any propofal which Would fiif ni(h em-
ployment worthy of his ambition *.

In the mean time the Tarentines, to arriiife the Romans ^h^ taht
till the rfeturn of their ambaffadors from Epirus, befieged ^^«'''«^^
Thurium, which was defended by a Roman garrifon, ^nd
made themfelves matters of if. Thi^ intelligence was
brought to Rome foon after the return of Pofthumius, and
the other ambaffadors, who had been fo ill-treated at Taren-
tum. The new confuls therefore, L. -ffimilius Barbu}at
aridQ^Marcius Phillppus, having affembkd the fcnatc,

i Dion. Hal. in Legat. Val. Max. lib. ii. cap. «. ZoAar* llb« vHI»
eap. ft. Flor, £pit. xii» Plut* in Pyrrho*

VoL.X. ZL laiA

f^% . the Aman jti0ciy.

Isud before them the fituation of the affairo of the repalSki-
and the ihameful indignity which had been offered the
ambaffadors* It was dangerous to engage in a new war^
w}ien the republic had fo many nations to contend wUh*
The Hetrurians were ftill in arms } the Samnites had de*
clared anew againft the republic ; and the Lucanians and
Br utis^s were grown more confident fince the taking of
Thurium. The hoftilities committed by the Tartsntines^
and the/infult offered to Pofthumius, whofe robe was pro*
djiced in the fenate, left no room to deliberate, whether.
ir^ a- they fhould enter Into a war with that people* They were
^'^ /^# 2ill unanimous as to the neceflity of chaftifing them ; but
refiiwd^^ whether it was advifeabic for the republic to ihew her re-
M. fcntment immediately, waa doubted. Some of the fe^

gators were for declaring war forthwith ; others, for de*
fiprring it, till the provinces bordering on the Tarentine
territories were fubdued. Never was debate more tedious^
or more perplexing. The fame que^pn waa difcu&d,
and warmly debated, from fun-rifing to fun-fet, for [e^
veral days together. 4^t length the opinion of thofe who
were for beginning the war immediately, prevailed ; and
the decree of the fenate being confirmed by the people,
orders were difpatched to the conful ^milius, who was
on his marqh into Samnium, to lay afide that expeditiooj
and turn his arms againft Tarentum.

The Tarentines, upon the approach of a eonfular army,
carried on their deliberatloi^s with more feriqufnefs i and
when the conful fent again to demand fatisfa&ion before
he began hoftilities, the better fort of citizens declared for
peace. .£milius offered them moderate terms ; and, after
all, it was but equitable, that they {lK)uid repair the inju«
ries, and wipe off the reproach, they had thrown on the
iElomans without any provocatioii ; but the populace, who
had nothing to lofe, infifted on a war -, .and their cla-
mours prevailed over the juft reafons of the wifeft men
7^ey hf in the commonwealth. The propofal of bringing Pyrrhus
7tu ^ili' into Italy was revived, and a decree paffed for inviting
^Itah\ "^ * ^^' prince to Tarentum. One Meton, a citizen of good
fenfe, and no way infe&d with the general corruption'
which prevailed in the city, endeavoured to divert hi«
countrymen from this mad defign (A), but was thnift

out

(A) Meton, on the day that placed in the theatre, jpsitdng

a public decree was to pafs for a withered garland on his head,

V^viitiiig Pyrrhus to Tarentum, and having a flambeau in his

and when the people were all hghd| as Wiis the manner of
t . the

fife konian tiijlorj. ^5^

Wt of the affcmbly. Ambaffadors were immediateTy dif-
patched into Epirus, not only in the name of the Taren-
tiness but of all the Greek colonies in Italy, with magni-
ficent prcfents JFor the king, and with inftru£iiohs to ac-
Jquaint him, that they only Wanted a general of fame andi
experience ; and that, as for troops, they could themfelvfe$
furnifli a numerous armv of twenty thoufand horfei and
three hundred and fifty thoufand foot, confifting of Luca-
nians, Meflapians, Samnite^, and Tai»entines. As foon ai
the news of this deputation were brought to the Romaii '
camp, iEmilius, who had hitherto made war on the Ta-
rentines gently, in hopes df adjufting matters by way of
negotiation, began to commit allforts of hoftilities. He
took citiesj ftormcd caftles, and laid the whole country
tvafte. -The Tarentines brought their army into the field ;
but ^nSilius foon obliged them to take refuge within
their walls. • However, to induce them to lay afide the
defign of receiving Pyrrhus, he ufed the prifoners he bad
taken with great moderation, arid ev^n fent them back
without tanfom, Thefe extolled the generdfity of thcl
cpnful; inforiiuch that many of the inhabitants wer^
brought over to the Roman party } and they all began to re-
pent of their having rejected a peace, and fent for Fyrrhu$ *.

k Prof. lib. iv* & Zon. Jib* vfi}.

the drunken debauche^^ caitie you will take ad^atitage of the

dancing into the midft of the pfefent libctty to do the ftme^

aflembly, accompanied by a When Pyrrhus comes, yoU

woman playing on the flute; nvuft change your way of life;

This filly fight waft fufficient to your mirth and joy will be at

divert the Tarentines from an end,*' Thefe words mad*

their moft important delibera- an impreffion upon the multi-

tions. They made a ring, and tude, and a murmur went,

called out to Metoh to fing» about, that he had fpokea

and to the woman to play i but well j but thofe who had fome

when they, cxpeding to be reafon to fear that they (hould

entertained with a foi^g, w^re be delivered up to the Romany^

all filcnt, the wife citizen, af- in cafe of an ac«onimodatio|li

faming an air of great feriouf. being enraged at what he had

ncfs, **you do well, T^reii- faid. reviled the alTcihbly fof

tines (faid he), not to hinder fuffcring themfelves to 'be f^

thofe from diverting them* toocked and alRonted; and^

felves, who are difpofed to crouditig together, thruft MiQi

mirth; and if you are wife^ tohoutQfth$afib|nbiy(f)*

(OPlttt. itiPyrrlfti,

Zi In

340 7he Roman Ktjiory^

\^

In the mean time the Tarentlne ambafladors arriving id
Epirus, purfuanc to the powers they had received^ made a
treaty with the king, who immediately fent before him
Cyn^as mr- the famous Cyneas, with three thoufand men, to take
%^ntL • poffeffion of the citadel of Tarentum. This minifter,
^^^^ whofe charafler we have given in our hiftory of
Epirus, foon found means to depofe Agis, whom the
Tarcntlnes had chofen to be their general, and the
governor of the city, though a fincere friend to the
^Vm'" Romans. He likewife prevailed upon the Tarentines to^
Vktatadtl ^^^^^^^ "P ^^ citadel into his hands ; which be no foonef
got pofleflion of, than he difpatched meflcngcrs to Pyr-
rhus, foliciting him to haften his departure for Italy. Li
the mean time ^milius, finding that he could not attempt
any thing with fuccefs againft the Tarentines this cam*
paign, refolved to put his troops into winter-quarters in
Apulia, which was not far from the territory of Tarentum.
In palling through certain defiles, with the fea on one fide,
and high hills on the other, he was attacked by the T^
rentines and Epirots from great numbers of barks mounted
with banidse, and from the hills, on which were polled a
great many archers and llingers. ^milius, thus attacked^
placed the Tarentine prlfoners between him and the
enemy; a difpofition which the Tarentines perceiving, foon
ceafed to moleft the Romans, from compafiion to their
own countrymen ; fo that the conful arrived fafe in Apu-
lia. He forthwith repaired to Rome, where his colleague
Marcius had a triumph on the calends of April, for luv-
ibg vanquiflied the Hetrurians '•

Next year P. Valerius Lxvinus, and Tib. Coruncanius,
were chofen confuls. The latter was raifed to the con-
fulate purely for his merit j for he was of a mean defcent,
not even a Roman by birth, but a native of Camerluiii,
a Roman municipium in Latium. It fell to his lot to carry
on the war in Hetruria, and to his colleague's to conduQ
that againft the Tarentines. u£milius, who had a£led
againft the Tarentines the laft year, was continued in the
command of his own troops with the title of proconful,
and ordered to make war upon the Salentines, who bad
declared for the Tarentines. The prefent exigence of af-
^ fairs obliged the Romans to enlift the proletarii, who

were the meaneft of the people, and therefore, by way
oJF contempt, called proletarii, as being thought incapa-
ble of doing the.ftate any other fervice than that of peo-

1 Faft. Capit* Frontin. in Stratag. Zonar. lib. viii.

pling

The Roman Hiftory.

pling the ,city, and flocking the republic with fubjefls.
Hitherto they had never been fuffered to bear arms, but
Tirere now, to their great fatisfadlion, enrolled as well as
others. In the mean time Pyrrhus arrived at Tarentum,
having narrowly efcaped (hipwreck ; and, being conduft-
ed into the city, was received with loud acclamations.
Thus began the memorable war between the Romans and
that famous commander, the firft foreigner they had to
contend with. It was carried on with great vigour on
both fides, for the fpaqc of fix years ; during which time
the following confuls were at the head of the Roman
armies ; the firft year, P. Valerius Laevinus and T. Co-
runcanius 5 the fecond, P. Sulpicius Saverrio and P. De-
cius Mus, whofe father and grandfather were both fa-
mous for their dcvotements ; the thijrd, C. Fabricius and
Q^-ffimilius, two men of the njoft jiiftinguifhed merit 5
the fourth, Cornelius Ruffinus and C. Jjinrus Brytus ;
the former a man extremely covetous and felf-intercftcd,
but neverthelefe promoted by the intereft of Fabricius,
bccaufe he was a much abler commander than any of his
competitors ; the fifth, Q. Fabius Gu/ges and C. Genii)^
Cius ; and laftly the fixth, the famous Cyrius Dentatus,
and L. .Cornelius Lent^lus. But as, in our hiftory of
Epirus, we have given a very particular acco^nt of this
war, and tjie cvent$ which attended it, from the landing
of Pyrrhus in Italy, to his return into his own dominions,
we (hall here only relate what happened after the latter
period, referripg the rea^e/ for an account of the war xo
that hiftory.

Pyrrhus having thought it advifeable to leave Italy, af-
ter the laft battle, in which he was defeated by Curius
Dentatus, with the lofs of twenty-three thoufand men,
the viftor returned to Rome, which he entered in tri-
umph, it being the moft magnificent one that had ever
yet been feen ; great (quantities of rich fpoil, vefTcls of
gold, purple carpets, ftatues, pifturcs, and, in ihort, all the
embellifhments of Greek cities, were carried before him.
Among the captives were Epifots, Theffalians, and Ma-
cedonians, not to mention the Lucanians, Brutians, Ta-
rentines, and individuals of other" Greek nations. The
appearance and drefs of fo many foreigners, afforded the
Xpe£tator8 great pleafurej but nothing fo much raifed
their admiration as the elephants, with towers on their
backs, animals which had never before been feen in Rome,
As for the triumphai\jt vi£lor, he rode in a chariot, and
ti^e accl;f mations the people gave him were very fincerc.

Z 3 Th^

34^

Yr. of PI.

Ante Chr.

U. C. 477.

Arri'ual •/"
Pyrrhus.

Yr. of Fl.

M83.
Ante Chr.

U. C 483.

Trhnnphof
Curius,

343

^pf his
Itittitdut*

nntines
iffeatii hji
Claudius
Carina*

Amhajfa-

dorjjrom

Ptolemy

Fhiladfl^

fhus.

The fioman Hiftory.^

The fenatc empowered him to appropriate to himfdf B£tf
acres of the conquered lands ; but he declined this £1^
Tour, faying* that he ought to be looked upon as a dab^

ijerous fubjefl:, who could not Ii?e upon the produce of
even acre^. Of all the fpoils, he refcrved only a littlp
veflel of beech for his domeftic factifices. Tbi3 magm-
ficent triumph of Curius was followed by that of his coir
league Lentulus, who had made a fuccefsful campaign
in Lucania, and taken from the Samnitcs the £miou3 cidt.
of Caudiom. This happy confulate ended with a cenfiM^'
and a luftrum. The virtuous Fabriciusj, and hia conftant
colleague ^millus Papus being cenfors^ they made a new
lift of fenators, and ftruck out the names of all thofi;
who led diflblute lives ; nay, Cornelius Ruffinus, who ba4
been conful and di£tator> was excluded^ only for having
ten pounds weight of filver in plate. By the cenfus ther^
appeared to be in Rome two hundred and fevettty-one
thoufand two bupdreci and twenty.four citijseos fit to beai;
arms.".

The Romans, ^rehending that the king of Epirus
would foon appear in Italy again with a more numerous
army than ever, continued Curius Dentatus in the con-
fiilate for the next year, giving him for his colleague Cor^
nelius Merenda. In the mean time the Tarcntiaes being
apprifed, that Pyrrhus, under pretence of going to fetch
new fupplies, had entirely deferted them/ obliged Mik),
whom the king ha4 left in the city with a ftrong garri-
son, to confine himfelf to the citadeL Thefe divifions
made Curius believe, that the Tarentines and %irot$
would dcftroy each other. In this beKcf he neg]e£ked to
bcfiege Tarentum, and turned his arms againft die Sam«
nites and Lucanians, who retired for refuge to their
mountains •, but they appeared again in the field next
year, when C, Fabius Dorfo, and C. Claudius Corina
were conf^l8. The latter defeated them, once at Icaft, iq
a pitched battle ; for we read in the Fafti CapitoUai, that
Claudius Carina triumphed over the Samnites, Lucaniaps,
and Brutians, on the day of the Quirinalia, or the fdli-
val of Romulus, that is, on the feventeenth di^y of Fe*
bruary. . ^ .

And now the repvtation of the Romans ha;vi9g ex-
tended into foreign countries, Ptolciny PhUadelphaSj
king of Egypt, fent ambaff^dors to congratulale the re-
|iubUc on her fuccefs, and to aik the fmnd&ip of ^

ft Plut. in Sylla, Val, Max; lib, iv, cap. 4.

1[lpmar^

The Roman Hiftory. |4|

Aoman f>e6ple* 1%e Romans^ not to be outdone in els- •
Tilitf, ient four amI>srfiador8 to Egypt, cbofen, with the
mmoll circumfpefiiion) by a (ienate ftudious to preferv^ «
the reputation they had acquired. Fabius Gurges was at
-the head of this embafiy; and with him were joined
•three corule aediles, two of them brothers of the Fabian
family, and the third Q^Ogulnius. Their reception was
equal to their merit, and worthy of fo magnificent 1
prince. The particulars we have recounted in the hiftory
of Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Next year the Romans, ftill Under the ^pprehenfions
that Pyrrhus would return once more into Italy, raifed to
the confulate two great men, who had already borne that
office, and commanded, with great reputation, the armies
of the republic. Thcfe were L. Papirius Curfor, and Sp.
Gorviiius, furnamed Maximus. Thefe generals had fcarce

' entered Samniunri with two armies^ when a certain account
eame of the death of Pyrrhus, This intelligence threw the Yr. of Fl,
Sartmites itito defpair \ they now looked upon their liberty aoS6.
^s loft, and, like men in that unhappy fituation, put all Ante Chr.

' to tht hazard of a battle, in which they were entirely de- ^ c *'86
feated. Thus ended tbi{| bloody war, whiqh had lafted ' ' ^ ^
feventy-two years, s|nd procured the Roman generals ntSam-'
(hirty-one triumphs. After the entire redu^iionof Sam- nius, Lm^
nium, the Lucanians and Brutians fubmitted; fo tbaf: ^^^'>
only Tarenti^ni remained unpunifhed 5 which the confuU ^f^lul*
foon inverted. There w:as a kind of civil war betwecm ^d. "
Milo in the citadel, and the Tarentines in the city ; and
the latter, as it is thought, had implored the affiftance of
the Carthaginians, who lay with a fleet before the town,
pretending tQ have no defign but againft the Epirots and
ithe citadelt The Romans attacked the city, taking car^
to prevent the Carthaginians from reducing the citadel/
With this view Papirius privately fignified to Milo, that
if he would furrender the citadel, he and his garrifon
Aould be fafely traqfported, with all their baggage and
tSe&Sf into Epirus^ Milo liftened to this ofter, and un*
dertook to put fhe city, as well as the citadel, into the
conful's handi^. He affembled the Tarentines^ and pre-
Tailed upon thepi to depute him to the conful, promiOng
tomakei fuch advantageous terms for them, that they
ihottid neither lofe their lives nor their efFe£ts. Milo per-
formed his promife ; for Papirius, in order to hinder the
Carthaginians from getting any footing in Italy, promifed
him all he aflced. The Romans, being foon after ad-
mitted into t^e city^ did no violence tp fhe inhabitants.

» 4 The

fnrrgadirs*

€ondu3 of
sCiunpa-
pian ifgio^.

lie nfohes

'uengtAitce
tf their

the Roman H'lfbify.

The Carthaginians^ when they found themfelves <iifap«
pointed, retired. The Tarentines were all difarmed^
their {hips taken from them, their city difmantled, and
juade tributary to Rome "•

The Sabines, Volfci, Campanians^ Hetrurians, and Sam«
nites, being now utterly fubdued, the republic was at iei-
furc to wipe oflF the diflionour thrown upon her by a Cam-
panian legion, foon after the arrival of Pyrrhus in Italy.
While that prince was at Tarentum, and the Carthagi-
nians infefted all the Ionian Sea, the inhabitants of Rhe-^
gium, fituated in the Southern extremity of Italy, near
Sicily, applied for a Roman garrifon to defend them from
an invafion. A legion was raifed in Campania for that
purpofe, and fent under the como^and of Decius Jubellus.
Thefe foldiers, having been ufed to a laborious life» began
foon to envy the inhabitants the pleafures and eafe in
which they lived \ and it was not long before they formed
and executed a fcheme to make thofe advantages their
pwn. They forged letters from thq Rhegians to PyrrhuSy
importing an offer to put the place into his hands ; under
this pretence they maffacred all the chief men of die city
at a banquet; and then, affaulting the reft, either put
them to the fword, or drove them out of the place. As
for the women, they obliged them to marry the murderers
of their fathers and hufbands.

Thefe news were brought to Rome at a time when the
affairs of the republic would not allpw her to punifh the
perfifliqus legion \ but having now no enemy to fear, as
foon as the new confuls, C. QuinAius Claudius and ii.
Genucius Clepfina, entered • upon their office, the latter
was ordered to turn his arms again(i Rhegium. The
ufurpers not only called to their affiftance the Mamertines,
who were originally Campanians, and had a£ted the fame
part at Medina, as we have related in the hiftory of Sicily,
but opened an afyluqi for all the profligate wretches of
the country, who flocked to the city in great crouds from
the neighbouring countries The Campanians, thus re-
inforced, made a vi^rorous defence, and refifted, till pro-
vifions beginning to fail in the camp of the Romans, Ge^
fiucius wa§ obliged to have recourfe to Hiero, king of Sy-
racufe, who, by fupplying hini not only with the corn he
wanted, but with a reinforcement of fome Sicilian troops,
•enabled him at lad to make himfelf mafter of the place,
'Of about four thoufand men, of which the guilty legion

> Fior. Eplt. XV. Prof. lib« ^v»

bad

The Roman Hijiory.

|ud at ^rft confided, only three hundred remained alive,
ihc r€ft having been killed in the feveral attacks made
ppon the city. Thefe, as the Campanians enjoyed the
privileges of Roman citizens, were fent prifoners to
|^Qj:ne to be tried in that capital. The fenate condemned
them to be beaten with rods, and then beheaded ; but, in
prder to prevent a mutiny, which fo bloody an execution
^ight raife among the populace, the criminals were put
to death on different days, in the forum, by fifty at a
time. Py thefe means Rome cleared herfelf of the fufpi^
cion of having fent the Rhegians fuccours witl\no other
view than to feize their city. Such of the inhabitants as
had efcaped the cruelty of the Campanian legion, were,
by a decree of the fenate, reinftated in the pofleffion of
l^heir eftates, liberties, and laws ^» -

In the following year C. Genucius and Cn. Cornelius
were raifed to the confulate. The former gained a viftory
over the Sarcinates, a people of Umbria, and was on
that account honoured with a triumph. The fuece^ing
confute, Q^Ogulnius Gallus, and C. Fabius Pidor, were
fent againft LoUius, a Samnite, who, having made his
efcape from Rome, where he was kept as a hoftage, had
feized a ftrong place in Samnium, and, being joined by
the Caricini, a people of that country, laid the neigh-
bouring provinces - under contribution. The confuls be-
fieged the city of the Caricini, which made fo vigorous a;
xefiftance, that they were very near failing in the enter-
prize ; however, being privately admitted into the city by
fome deferters, they made themfelves mafters of it, but
not without the lofs of many legionaries. Under the fame
confuls 'the Romans, who had hitherto ufed no money in
co^imerce, except pieces of brafs, (lamped with the figures
of a bull, a ram, and a boar, began to coin filver, and
introduce it into commerce., The place appointed for
the mint was the temple of Juno Moneta, and hence
came the word money p.

The following confuls, P. Sempronius Sophus, and
Appius Claudius Craflus, fon to the famous Appius Clau-
dius, entered Picenum jointly ; but new conunotions in
Umbria obliging them to feparate, Appius entered that
country ; and, having made himfelf mailer of Camerinum,
fold all the inhabitants for (laves, contrary to his agree-
ment, depofiting the money accruing from the fale in the
public treafury, and feized all their lands. But the fenate

145

All who
nmaim §/
thi ligim$
put to
death.

The Sat'
ctnates dt* ,
feaiteU

Yr. of Fl;
Ant€ Chr,^
U. C. 489*

vtofuy coin*
idiaRomg.

• Polyb. lib. ii. cap. 4. Val. Max. lib. vi. cap. Z'
lib. xxxiii. cup. 3. §uida9 in voce momi7«.

p Pliiu
Mi

mi^t 7he Roftum Hiflofy.

kad tob much equity to autborife fo wicked a fraud ; tliejp
caofed all thofe unhappy wretches to be carefully fought
tfiXXy allowed them the priyileges of Roman citiseus^
granted them a place upon Mount Aventine for their ha-
bitatiohi and allotted to each of them at much landm
property at diey had loft in Umbria ^.
fkimm In the mean time the other conful, SehiproniiM Sbpbus^

^m^t^id. carried on the trar againft the Picentes With ^rtet fdccefs.
He gained a complete vidory over them, which^ how-
ever, cpft him very dear } fof he lofl the greater gart <^
liifli troopa in the adion,, Afeuhim, the capital of Pice*
tium> fubitiitted Co the conqueror, and the whole nation
gave tbemfelvea up to Rome ; a great increafe of power
to th^ republics this country alone being able to fu^ly
her armies with three hundred and fixty thouftiid men.
The Romans, the better to.fecure the newcon^UeHs, sind
keep the conquered nations in awe, > fent out two colonies,
one to AHminum in the country of the Piceiites, andan«;
other to Beneventum in that of the ^^ttm\tti. This fah>ie
year the Sabines, who had hitherto enjoyed lio otMf fN$4
tilcge but that of being incorporated in tWe fegfdtfs iti-
ftead of ferving as auxiliaries, were admitted to the right
of fuffrage in the city 'w

The confuls of the fottowing year, L. Julius Libo and

M. Attilius Rcgulus, began a War with the Salentincs,

Their pretence was^, that this nation had favoured the dc-

fcent of Pyrrhtts, and efpoufed the cauft of the Taren-.

tines \ a pretence invented by the ambitious republic to

tob her neighbours of their liberty. The chief cities of

the Salentines were Hydruntum, Aletium, and Brundu-

fium. This laft port was what the Romans chiefly covet*

cd. It was fo advantageoufly fituated, that, by being

inafiers of its they knew they (hould be in a concUtion to

contend with the nations beyond fea^ and to carry war

Yr. of I'K into Africa, Afia, and Greece. The Salentines difputed

*09«, their country inch by inch \ and though Attilius Regulus

a*6^^ took Brundufium, yet neither he, nor his colleague, had

lI.C?;49i. the glory of fubduing that gallant nation. Their fuccef-

■ I • ., fors, Numerius FabiuS and Juhius Pera, took Aletium

and Hydruntum, with other cities j and, by thtofe con-

queftsj obliged the Salentines to fubmit. The fame cacm-

paign they fubdued the Sarcinates in Umbria ; and, on

their return to Rome, were hoi)bured each with two tri«

% Val. Max* lib. vi. cap. 54 ' Veil. Paferc. lib. u Flor,

ttb. i. cap. 19.

umpbst

Vthe Komnn Hiflory. |4f

^mp)i$i» for tlie redaf^ion of two natipns \ » thing unheard
pf before in the republic •.

' Rome nf as now miftrefs ^F nil t^e countries in Italy, ExUmt tf
from tbe remoteft part of Hetruria to the Ionian Sea, and t^* Rms^
from the Tyrrhenian Sea 16 the Adriatic. But thefe na- *^*>^»^
tions did not ail enjoy the h!tti€ privileges; foipc were cn^
tirely fubjeft to Rome^ and bad Ho lawsi but what they re-^
f eived from thence ; others retained their old }aws an4
cuftonis, but in fabjcftion to the Republic ; feme werei
tributary, and others allies, obliged to fumifli the Roihan
^n|iy with troops, and maintain them at their own tx-^
pence. Some enjoyed the privilege of Roman citizen-
fiiip ; their foldiers were incorporated in the legions :
Others had likewife a right of mfirage in the el^ions
made by the centuries in the CampusMartius. Thofe dif-
ferent degrees of hohoi^r, privileges, and liberty^ were
founded oh the diffeteftt terms granted to the conquered
iipbn their furrender, and 'Wtrc afterwards enereafed, ac-
cording tQ \\ipix fidelity, and the fervices they did the re-
oublic.

The femeofthe Roman name being, after this gi eat en- ntHpoih*
^reafe of power and dominion, fpread into foreign count- niates
^ries, their friendfliip was courted by free cities, and whole ^ourt Mr
ftations on the oth^cr fide the fea. Apollonia, fituatcd ^^J^f^
pver-againft Bruhdufium, was the firft city of Macedon ^Ly^'
diat feiit ambafladors to defire the protedio6 of Rome%
^hefe were kindly received by the fenate ; but, upod
fbme occafion not mentioned in hiftory, iiifulted by Fa-
briciua and Apronius, two young patricians, at this time
jaediles. The republic would not uiffer this breach of the
jaw of nations to pafs unpunifhed ; they were both tried,
^nd their fentence imported, that they ihould \^ put into
$he hands of the ApoUoniates/ carried into Macedon, and
there punifhed at the pleafure of the people, whom they
^ad ofiended in the perfons of their ambafladors. The
republic obliged the offenders to abdicate the sediie-
fliip, be^re they fet out from Rome ; and left the ambaf-
fiklors ihould be inftthed on the road by the friends ahd
relations of Fabricius and Apronius, they were condu£i-
ed to Brundufium, together with the prifoners, by a de-
tachment of troops under the command of a quaeftbr.
iThe Apolloniates were deeply aifeded by this mark of re-
gard. The prifoners were hofpitably received, and then
lent back to Rome. This event gave rife to a law, wbick

i Faft, CvAu Ortf. lib. vi» cap, 4. Her. lib* i.

lafted

j^t The Roman Htftofy*

lafted as long as the republic ; whereby it was enafbed*
that if any citizen, of what quality foever, infulted aa
ambaflador» he fhould be delivered up to the injured na«
tioa *.
PnvmM The republic now enjoying profound tranquility both
^tur/lors ^t home and abroad, the new confuls, Q. Fabius Gurges
fffoitd* ^qJ l^ Mammilius Vitulus, applied tbenuclves to the re-
gulation of the public revenues* Thefe aroib from the
tributes each nation paid; from the rents of certain
arable and pafture lands, which the republic referved, as
her demefnes, whenever (he didributed any conquered
lands among citizens ; from the tenth of the produce of
all landsy which were dependent upon her ; and laftlyi
from the impofts upon .all merchandize imported into her
dominions. The four quxftors, already appointed to re-
ceive and pay the public monies, were not fufficient to
manage the buGnefs, even before the late cbnquefts. It
being therefore, al^folutely neceffary to augment the num-
ber of thefe officers, four new ones were created, with
the title of provincial quaeftors, to take charge of the four
provinces, intp which the republic had' divided her con-
guefts (B), j^

t Flor. in Spit« xv. Va\» Max. lib* vi. cap, 6. Dig. Parag. de
Lcgat.

(B) Thequseftoroftbefirft
province refided at OfKa, and
his quaeftorihip reached from
the fprings of the Tiber and the
Arnus to the mouth of the Li-
ris, and comprehended Hetru-
ria, Latiutn, Sabinia, Umbria,
and in Ihort all the coafts of
the Tufcan Sea, and all the
lands between that fea and the
Apennines. The quaeftor of
the fecond province refided at
Cale in Campania, and had
under his jurifdidion all the
country between the Liris and
the Gulf of Tarentum ; that
iS| Campania, Samnium, Lu-
cania, the country of the Bru-
til, and (Enotria. The third
province reached from the
Apennines to the ^ore of the
Adriatic Sea, and was called
the Gallic qusfiorflup. It

contained the countries for«
merljr conquered by the Gauls,
efpecially the Senones, from
the Rubicon to the ^fis, and
alfo Piccnum, the country of
the Frentani, and all the othef
countries as far as Apulia.
The fourth quaeftorfhip, of
which we have not fo diftind^
an account as of the other
three, could only compriie
Apulia, Calabria, and the ter-
ritories of the Salentines, Mef-
fapi^ns, an4 Tarentines. For
thefe four, provinces Rome
created four new quaeilors ;
and it was then fettled, thax all
the eight quaeftors (hould for
the future be chofcn in the co-
mitia by tribes. After the
ele6Hons, which were renewed
every vear, the eight quaeftors
drew lots in the ^refence of
thft

The ; Rdman I^or^ft J4^

tt was often the fate of the Romans to' be affliddd 'with*- ^me af^
domeftie misfortunes, when they were not engaged in: fi^j^
any war 5 and this was the cafe at pcefeht:a contagion IS^^^
broke oiit, which made a dreadful havock both in the *

city and country. Kecourfe being had to the Sibylline
bookS) according to cuftom, it wa3 fuppofed to be there
found, that fome fecret crimes had drawn down . the
wrath of heaven upon the republic. A Veftal, named
Caparania, was found, upon diligent enquiry, giiilty. of
Incontinence^ and condemned to be buried alive without
the gate CoUina. The guilty Voftal, to avoid fo cruel a
death, ftrangled herfelf ; but the fame ceremonies of in-
terment wete performed over the dead body, as if flie had
been living.

While the two confuls, Fabius G'urgesand Mammilius Anuar
Vitulus, were employed in works of peace, an unex- witkthi
pefle^f war fprung up in the very bowels of the republic. -^^/^S'*
Volfinii, one of the capital cities of the twelve Hetrurian ^J'^^^"'^
lucumonies, had been allowed by the Romans to enjoy
her ancient laws and form of government 5 but as the in-
habitants no longer confidered themfelves as a free and
independent people, they defpifed the public offices, and
fuiFcred their freedmen to ufurp them, giving themfelves
wholly up to their pleafures. Thefe freedmen became,
by degrees, tyrants in that little republic, and made it
their whole bufmefs to humble their old mafters. They
took away their wives by force, and carried their info-
lence and licentioufnefs fo far, that thev paffed a law,
that no virgin, daughter of a man free-oorn, fhould be
married to a hufband of the like condition, till (he had
fubmitted to the paffion of a freedman, To thefe indigo
nities they 'added the banifhments and profcriptions of
the moft worthy citizens. The Volfinienfes, defpairing
of being able to redrefs their grievances by their own in-

thc people, to decide who public treafury. The provin- '

(hould have the Roman ^ who cial quaeilorihips were defired

the military, and who the pro- by the ambitious, before Rome

vincial quaeftorfhips. The mi- had extended her conquefb be-

litary quaftors attended the yond Italy ; but little coveted

confuls in their expeditions, after the republic had brought

kept the military chcft, paid the Eaft and Weft under fub-

tbif troops, and fold the pri- je£^ion, and great kingdoms

feners and fpoils taken from were become fo many pro«

the enemy. The Roman vinces under her dominion,
quaeilors fuperintended the

temal

^ 9:1^ Rimm U^Qi^i

laiiil ftrength, font deputi^ to Rome, to implott ^e

affiftaiice of the r^uUiCi The deputies fet out piiTately^

and carried on their aegotiations with great fecrecy ; butj

Bcvertheiefs, the freedme&» getting notice of the whole^

pot them to death at their return \ and when the confal

Fabius> who was fent againft them with a fmall army oif

iroIiiniQerBy appeared before their city, they even Ventured

ni ivM ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^° ^^^ field, and give him battle. Fabius de«

fMus feat^d them ; but as he entered the town with the run*

Cwrget aways, he received a mortal wound from an unknown

MUed>, hand. Thus fell a great man, who had- been honoured

with triumphs, embafiies, and three confulates, and whO|

contrary to the expectation of the great Fabius, his fa-

• ther, did no way degenerate from the virtue of his an«

ceftors. The conful was no fooner carried out of the

crowd, than the freedmen fell upon the Romans with

fttcU fury, that they obliged them to retire. Then De«

cius Mus, lieutenant to Fabius, invefted VolCiiii, and

began to befiege it in form \ but it was not taketi till the

arrival of M. Fulvius Fiaccus, one ef the confuls for the

^*P*'* J ^^^^ y^^^* ^^^ forced the freedmen to furrender at difi

f»/«r! cretion, and put all thofe, who had zQttA any part in this

' * fcene of villainy, to death. The ancient citizens, and

thofe who had not been concerned in the revolt, were

tranfplanted to another place, and their city rafed. This

condudl of Fiaccus was fo agreeable to the republic, that

ihe granted him the honours of a triumph. He entered

Ronie in ftatc, on the calends of February, in the year

fucceeding this, which was the year of his confulate*^

We have anticipated this latter part of the hiftory, to

avoid blending an affair of To little, importance with th^-

great events that are to follow.

» Flon Hb. i* cap. %u Val. Max. lib. \x» cap. ai. Zon. lib. viii»
Aua, de Viris Illuftr.

CHAJP,

t^$mm Jf^^ III

CHAP. XL-

^h^ Binary of Komt^ fiw% the p-fi Carthagim
nian War ti^ thejicond.

SECT- t.

t'r^m the Commencement of the jirfi Carthcgmm War^
t^ the Heath 6f the Conful Regulus.

THE Carthaginians) when the war firft broke out 6ect^
between their republic and that of Rome, were ofthefirf^
poffeded of extenfire dominions in Africa ) had made ^J'P^^^
ConfideraUie acquifitiens in Spain 5 were matters of Sar- ^^^^
dinia, Coriica, and all the iflands on the coafts of Italy ; c«r<%^
and had extended their conquefts to a great part of Sicily^
The Mamertincs, of whom we have i(poken at length in
the hiftory of Sicily, being vanquifhed tn battle^ and re«
4uced to great ftraits by Hiefo, king of Syracufe$ had re*
folved to deliver up Meflana^ the only city which they'
now poiTefled, to that prince, with whofe mild govern"^
lucnt) and AfiSt probity^ they were well acquainted*
Accordingly, Hiero was advancing to take pofieifion of
that important place', when Hannibal^ who at that time
commanded the Carthaginian army in Sicily, prevented
him by a ftratagcm. The artful African met Hiero, in
appearance to congratulate him on his vi£iory ; and
emufed him, while fome of the Carthaginian troops filed
tofF towards Meffana* The Mamertines, feeing their city
fupported by a new reinforcement, were divided in their
opinions. Some were for accepting the protedlion oi
Carthage \ others were ftiU for furrendcring to the king v

of Syracufe ; but the greater part were for calling the
Romans to the affift^ance of a city, whofe inhabitants
were originally Italians. The arrival of their deputies at
Rome occaiioned debates in the fenate ; but in the end
they came into the meafures of the people, Who, from
the beginning, were bent upon driving the Carthaginians
out of Mefiana.

It was 4ecreed^ that Appius Claudius, furnamcd Cau*
d^x, who was then conful. with M. Fulvius Flaccus^
ihould be fent into Sicily, to attempt the deliverance ol
MeiTana. Of his gallant bebaviouri and the fuccefs thar

attended

mam re-
duct feve-
ra/ places
im Suilj.

35t fhe RimH I^fidt^

attended him ; of the fignal vi£lory he gained over Hie^d^'
king of Syracufe; oC^the progfefs. of ^Uie Roman arms^
under the confuls-Matiius Valerius and Manias Otacilius,
his fuccefibrs, and the alliance concluded between, them
Mid king Ilier5, wd have fpokeii in the hlftofy of- Siciif^
to which we refer the reader.

The Romans having, after this alliance, no enemies to

contend with but the Carthaginians, and being fupplied

with all manner of piovifions oy Hiero, now their friend

and ally, made themfelves mailers of all the places on the

weftern coaft of Sicily. The inhabitant of Segefta ani

Aliena maflacred the African garrifon, aodi €)»pened their

gates to the confuls. The cities of Hilara, Tyrita, and

Afcela, were taken by afiault, and treite<r. with great

rigour. The campaign being ended, . the confuls led

back moil of the troops, and putting them into winter*

quarters on the coait of Italy, returned to Rome^ where

Valerius was decreed a triumph, and honoured wth.the

furname of MeiTala. This year Cn. Fulvius Centumalus

was created di£lator, who chofe Q* M^rcius Fhilipptis for

his general of the horfe. But their only bufinefs was to

drive a nail into the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, to

ilop^ a plague which raged at Rome *'.

Both con' ^^^ "^^ confuls, L. Poilhumius Megellus and Q. Ma-

jkUor- mill us Vitulus, were ordered to pafs over into Sicily*

dered'tnto The republic, depending on the alliance of king Hiero,

*«'^» thought it advifeable to leiTen the number of troops in

that fervice^ and therefore appointed them two legions

only. They fet out from Rome, and, embarking at Rhe-

gium, landed at MefTana, without meeting with any op«

polition. They no fooner landed, than they afiembled

the reinforcements they were to receive in that country,

and n^arched to Agrigentum, which the Carthaginians

had made their magazine of arms and provifions. The

^ place was (Irong by nature, and had been rendered almoik

impregnable by the new works with which the Cartha*

ginians had fecured it during the winter, with a view \xi

make it their place of refuge, in cafe of any mifcarriage or

difailer. . It was defended by a numerous garrifon, under

the command of Hannibal, a general of known valour

The^he' and great experience in wan However, the Romans en-

Ag^ ^gr'tr camped before the place, blocking it up on all iides. As

geHtumi it was then harveil-time, and the fruitful fields of Sicily

w Polyb. lib. i. cap. xo, ii. 2k)nar. lib. viii. cap 9. Frontin.
Stratag. lib. iv. cap. 1. Tab. Triumph. Scnec. de Brcvit. Vit-
cap. 13.

' were

S'he komau ttifidrjf.

¥;^ere cohered with com, the coafuls gare their Yoldier^
leave to reap it in fmall parties, in order to provide againil
the wants which ufuallf attend long fieges. Hannibal re*
Ibkod to take advantage of this breach of military difci*
plkic, and made two faUics at the fame time ; one upon
the reapers, and the otfae? upon the Roman camp. The
reapers were overpowered by the Carthaginians, and for
the moil part cut in pieces. But the Romans in the camp
repulfed the enemy with great flaughter, and purfued
them to the very gates <rf the city. After this a£^ion, the
Qirthaginians were more cautious in their fallies, and
the coiuuis took care not to fufier their men to forage in
fmali parties. The Carthaginians makiDg no more fallies,
tSie Romans thought it advifeable to divide thetr army into
two bodies; with one they encamped near the temple of
.^fcuiapius, at fome diflance from the city, while the
other took poft on the road to Heraclea ; and lines of cir*
cumvallation and contravallation were formed to fecure
them againft fallies from within, and attacks from without.

The Romans were plentifully fupplied with all necefla*
ries from Erbefla, a city not far from Agrigentum,
whiter they were brought from all parts of Sicily, and
fafeiy conveyed from thence to the camps. Thus they
continued before the place five months, hoping to reduce
it by famine. As there were no fewer than fifty thoufaifd
fouls in Agrigentum, the city was reduced to great diffi*
culties. But Hannibal fuported their courage with pro-
mifes ; and from time to time difpatched, notwithfland-
ing the vigilance of the Romans, mefiengers to Carthage,
to folicit fpeedy fuccours. The Carthaginians having
made levies in Africa, Spain, GauK and Liguria, embark*
ed, under the command of Hanno> fifty thoufand chofen
foot, fix thoufand horfo^ and fixty elephants, ordering
them to fail to Sicily, and attempt the relief of Agrigen-
tum. HannO) without lofs of time, fet fail, and, landing
his forces at Lilybaeum^ marched JFrom thence to Hera-
clea, witjbin twenty miles of Agrigentum. There he re- '
ceived a deputation from fome of the inhabitants of £r-
befia, where the Romans had their magazines, offering to
put the town into his hands. The Carthaginian, over-
joyed, at this meiTage, marched with all his forces to £r-
befla, which was accordingly delivered up to him ; fo that
the Romans, who had been hitherto the befiegers, were
nowbefieged: all their convoys bein^ intercepted, they
were reduced to fuch difiiculties, that they often deliberated
about raifing the fiege ; and would have ^eruinly zhsoi^

Vol. X. A a doned

353

jfn army
feat /ram
Carthagf
to retievi
Agrigen-
tum*

The Roman
magaxiftes
betrayed t9
the Car»
ihaginianu

354 ^^ Roman Hi/iory.

doned the enterprize, had not Hiero fupplied them to the
beft of his power ; but notwithftanding all his efibrts, they
laboured under a grievous dearth, and this produced a
diftemper which daily fwept off great numbers. In the
mean time Agrigentum being reduced to the utmoft ex-
tremity by famine, Hannibal found means to acquaint
Hanno with the deplorable condition of the place, who
thereupon refolvcd to put the whole tothe-iffue of a gene-
ral engagement, thinking himfelf a match for the Romans^
who were greatly weakened by ficknefs and fatigue.

Accordingly, having imparted his defign to Hannibal,
and ordered him to make a fally the moment the Romans
appeared in the plain, he marched with all his troops
from Heraclea, fending his Numidian horfe before, with
orders to advance to the entrenchments of the Romans, as
if they defigned to force them ; but, in cafe the Romans
made a fally, they were to retire towards the army.
TkeRa- Thefe orders were pun£tually executed. The Roman
mauj rf cavalry attacking the Numidians, and purfuing them too
'a^I* ^^^^ were furrounded by the whole army, and either taken
or cut in pieces. Notwithftanding this advantage, Hanno,
pofting himfelf on Mount Taurus, about a mile and a half
from the Romans, continued there two months, without
{hewing any inclination to come to a decifive a£tion. At
length Hannibal giving him notice, as well by fignals from
the town as by exptefles, that the garrifon could no longer
hold out, and that they deferted by companies to the Ro-
mans, Hanno was forced to venture an engagement, to
which the Romans were equally difpofed. Both armies
formed in a large plain between the two camps, and en-
*rhe Car- gaged with incredible fury. The fuccefs continued doubt-
thaginian {xAy till the mercenaries, who were in the vanguard of
7eTJ^' the Carthaginian army, fled. In their Bight they fell in
among the elephants, which they put into diforder, and
by thefe means entirely broke the line that fuftained the
rear. By this accident, the whole army being difcom-
pofed, the Carthaginians fled in a diforderly manner, the
Romans purfuing them with great flaughter. Hannibal
attempted to make a fally, and bring his forces to the
ailiftance of Hanno ; but was repulfed by the troops which
the confuls had pofted at all the avenues to the city, and
obliged to return after he had loft a great number of men.
In this battle the Romans took eleven elephants, wounded
three, and killed thirty. As to the number of men killed
in the aflion and purfuit, it is not ex^^lly known. The
enemy, after the defeat, retired to Heradeaj which they

reached

Jeated.

The Roman Hifiary.

itached with great difficulty^ the plain beting all covered
v^ith dead bodies ''.

Hannibal perceiving that thfe Romans, after the fatigues
6f fo glorious a day, were lefs upon theirguard, marched
out at midnight with the greateft part of his troops, and,
filling up the Roman trenches, made his cfcape, and re*
tired, with his forces, to a place of fafety. The Agri-
gentines, to revenge themfelves for beirig thus abandoned,
and, at the fame time to make their court to the confuls,
maffacred the Carthaginians who were left in the city.
JBut fuch cruelties not being agreeable to the Romans, the
confuls gave up the city, after it had furrcndered at dif-
cretion, to be plundered ; and above twenty-five thoufand
perfons of firee conditibn w^re made flaves. Such was the
fuccefs of a fiege, which had^lafted feven months, and
was the moft remarkable and difficult the Romans had
ever yet undertaken. The cohqueft was both importa,nt
and glorious : the befiegers are faid to have loft, in the
battle, and in the frequent ikirmilhes, by famine and
other hardfliips, about thirty thoufand men, Romans and
allies y. The campaign being ended with the redudlion
of Agrigentum, the confuls returned to MefTana and from
thence to Rome.

The conqueft of Agrigentum infpircd the Romans with
hopes of fubduing all Sicily. The only difficulty was,
how to make themfelves matters of the maritime cities
without the affiftance of a fleet, equal at leaft to that of
Carthage. Hitherto they had transported their troops on
board of veflels borrowed of their neighbours, the Ta-
rcntines, Locrians, and Neapolitans. But now the re-
public formed a deiign of being as formidable at fea as
flie was by land, and ordered a hundred and twenty vef-
fels to be built (C). The Romans immediately fet about

this

855

Hammkd

nuiik tht
greattft
part rfflii
iroops*

mans equip
a fitet*

X Polyb. ibid. cap. 19. Died,
cap. 10. r Eutrop. lib. viii.

(C) Pol>;biu8 tells us (i),
that the Romans were utter
Grangers to naval affairs, and
-quite ignorant of the art of
building fliips, before the firft
Punic war. He adds, that it
would have been impoflible for
them to build and equip a fleet,

Sic. in Excerpt. 2Sonan lib»viij.
. Zonar. Jib. viii. cap, ro.

had not fortune, by a mere ac-
cident, inftrudted them in the
method; for a Carthagitiiaa
galley, venturing too near the
Siore, chanced to be flranded,
ami was taken by the Romans
before the mariners, could get
her off. This galley fervcd

(0 Polyb. lib. i.
A.a a

th«m

2^6 ^^^ Roman Hijlory^

this laborious piece of wopk, cut down trees in their fo-

rcfts, and conveyed them to the fea-fide with an expedi*

. tipn peculiar to themfelves. This fleet was equipped^ a»

" .r .. f olybius informs us, in two months, reckoning from the

day the trees began to be cut in the forcfts ; and con-

fifted of a hundred galleys with five benches of rowers,

ree (D).

While

and twenty with three (D).

them for a model; for they
built by it, fays he, a fleet of
an hundred and twenty gallies.
That author was certainly mif-
faken, when he wrote, that
the Romans had no (hips at fea
before the firft Punic war. It
is not eaiy to reconcile him
with himfelf on this fubjeft;
for when he elfwhere (2) fpeaks
of the articles of a treaty a-
greed on by the Romans and
Carthaginians, in the conful-
ihip ofBrutus and Horatius,
immediately after the expulfion
of the Tarquins, he tells us,
that one of the articles was to
this ef!e£t, that the Romans,
and the allies of the Romans,
lUould not fail beyond the
Fair Promontory, unlefs con-
ftrained by weather, or by an
enemy. In two other treaties,
of which he gives us the tran-
fcripls, there arc feveralclaufes
to the fame effed. Thefe pre-
cautions, on the fide of the
Carthaginians, manifelUy fup-
poTe^ that the Romans had at
that time Ihips, traded to A-
frica, and were not fo unac-
quainted with naval aflairs^ as
.Folybius reprefents them to
.have been at the beginning of
,the firft Punic war. Neither
«can Polybius be underflood as.
. fpeaking only of fliips of war,
.it being, plain, from the rca-f
ions er t^e Tarentine war-

agreed on by all hiilorians,
that the Romans bad at that
time a fleet often gallies ; nay^
we are told by all the ancients,
that, long before the Taren*
tine war, the conful Maenius,
having ruined the port of An«
ttum, carried part of the fleet
of the Antiates, which con-
fifted of twenty gallies, to
Rome, and laid them up in
the place appointed for build-
ing (hips* It js no lefs certain,
that, many years before the
firft Punic war, the Romaa
people appointed the duumviri
navales, 'whofe province was
confined to the infpedion and
repairing of (hips of the re-
public. However, it is cer-
tain, that the Romans, wholly
intent upon the reducing of
the neighbouring ftates, were
but little acquainted with na-
val affairs, till they began to
make war out of their own
continent.

(D) While fome were em-
ployed in building the gallies,
others, affembling thofe who
were to ferve in the fleet, in-
ftru£ted them in the ufe of the
oar after the following manner,
which at flrft ieemed ibme-
what ridiculous : they con-
trived benches on the fliore in
the fame order as they were to
^ be in the p§Uey$ ; and, placii^
their feamen with their oars in

(a) Polyb.lib.iii,

like

The Roman Hifiory^

While the galleys were building, the new copfuk, L.
Valerius Flaccus, and T. Otacilius, brother to M. Otaci-
Jius, who had been conful two years before, fet oCit for
Sicily, where they eafily reduced all the cities that were
at any diftance from the fea : but while they were em-
ployed in fubduing the inland countries, the Carthagi-
nians either kept fteady in their intereft, or brought un-
der fbbjeaion, all the places on the coaft. So that both
jpartiies Were equally fuccefsful.

In the beginning of the confulate of Cn. CoVnelius
Scipio Afina, and C. Duiliiis, the fleet being equipped, the
two confuls chofe their different commands by lot. The
command of the fleet fell to Cornelius, and that of the
land-forces to Duilius. The latter immediately fet but
with two legions, and pafl!ed the ftreights. (Jornelius
followed'him with feventeen new-built gallics, fteerinfr
his courfe along the coaft to Meflana, to'givediredions for
the reception and fecurity of the fleet. Upon his arrival
he was itiformed, fome fay by men hired for that purpofe
by Harinitiali i\\^t the ifland and city of Lipara woiiRl
fufrender f«i the Romans bpon the firft fummdns. Corne-
lius, giyihg credit to this report, immediately failed with
his fquadron for Lipara, and entered the harbbur. But at
break of day he found himfelf blocked up by a greater num-
ber of Carthaginian veflels, under the command of Boodes,
a fenator. In this furprize Cornelius faw no remedy but
to fubmit, and accordingly yielded up himfelf and his
fquadron to the enemy (t). In the mean time the htiii-

■3V

like manner upon the benches,
an pfficer, by figps with his
hand,.inftru6ted them hpw ^o
^^ip their oars all at the fame
time, and How to recover ttiem
out of thq vater. ^By this
means they became ac^uiainted
with the management bf * the
oar ; 'iand, as foon as the vef-
fels'were built and eq^uipped^
they fpeat (bnae time m prac-
tifing^on tKe water wh^t they'
-had Te^rn't afliore (3). . . , , ^,
(E)'thus Pblybms (4). Fut

Livy (^) tells us. that the

*. . » . . • t"

(3) Polyh. ibid, ctp.^ao, ^u
($} In Epitome lib. xvii.

fuls pafs
over tnt9
Sicily^

Carthaginian invited Corne-
lius, and his tnbunes, that 5«,
the commandefj^of liis gailiei,
(on board Jiis IhTp, tb con^
about *the differences between
the twc'republics in' an ami-
cable mahner; and that'tHe

*con(ul,* bein^' \4realr enouglr io
trail to the Ix^ikour of Bcm^,

'wlas feized *by him, with ^l
his officors^ a^d.feijit tor C^i|-
tbage : this au{hpr adds, ithat

' the fqiuadrqn, b^ing. ^bus de-
prived of atl its' com mandefs,
furrendered without fighting.

(4) Potyb. libi.i.'Cfip«s^«

CortieUui

and his

thi fnfmf

'.; • ^t

a 3

<lred

358

matrs gam

Tki t9rvtu

. Puiltus
Jails in
ftu0 of th

The Roman Hi/lory.

dred and three Roman galliesi which had remained \xi the
ports, fet fail according to the orders Cornelius had giycDi
and, coafting along Italy, made the beft of their way tOr
wards the mouth of the ftreights. Hannibal, upon ad-
vice that the Roman fleet was at f<^a, failed with a fqua-
dron of fifty galleys to take a view of their ne.w-fa0iioned
veflels. ^is curiofity coft him dear ) for the Romap fleet
appearing, when he leaft expefted it, immediately atr
tacked his fquadrpn with great vigour, and either funk or
took the greated part pf his gallies, liannibal himfelf
pfcaping with much difficulty, when bis whole fleet be-
lieved him loit The Romans, after this victory, pur-
fued their courfe to Sicily ; and, being informed of tbc
defeat and captivity of Cornelius, who was to have com-
manded them, they fcnt an exprefs forthwith to Duilius,
who had the command of the land-forces in the ifland.
Duilius, being now fole comn^ander at fea and land, went
immediately on board the fleet- The refl^dlion be made
on the heaviness of bis gallies, did pot a little ^bate his
confidt^nce ; for the Romans plainly faw^ even in the
battle, that their veiTeis were much more unwieldy in
working, thai; thofe of the enemy. But an engineer in
the fleet found means to make amends for this defefl,
by devifing that machine, w:|3ich w^i afterwi?ird^ called
corvus (F)»

The invention of this machine giving t^ cqnful more
confidence, he left the command of the lam-forces to his
fubaltcrns, and fet fail for Mylae to encounter the enemy,
who had made a defcent on that cqaft. The Carthagi-
nians, who defpifed the Romans as ignorant of fea-af-
fairs, werf overjoyed when they firft defcried their fleet.
They did not give themfelves the trouble fo draw up thdr
, fliips in line of battle, but advanced with a fquadron ip
diforder up to the unwieldy triremes of the Romans,
dreaming of nothing but pertain viftory. They were at
firft furprifed at the fight of the engine, not knowing the
ufe of it : but the Carthaginians^ looking upon thofe ma-
chines as idle inventions of perfons not acquainted with
the fea, rowed up with confidence to the Roman galiies,
and began th<^ battle. The Romans, however, grappling
ifith them by the jielp of their, corvi, apd boarding their

(F) This was a moving grappled, and boarded the (bipi
Hag^, by means of which they of the enemy (i).

(l) Polyb. lib. 1. p. 14* Follard*| piflert. on the Gorvui.

fhe Roman Hiftory. ' 3^9

{hips with great eafe, fought hand to hand with them andg^s
upon deck as on firm ground. Being more expert in this * *oi^9rjn
kind of fight than the Carthaginians, and better armed,
they foon gained the afcendant over them, and took tUity
Ihips, with a^ their crews. Among thefe was the ads-
miraFs own galley, a feptiremis, which had been taken
formerly by the Carthaginians from king Pyrrhus. Han- ,

nibal himfelf was on board of it ; but, when he faw the
Romans entering his galley, he leaped into a fmall boat,
and efcaped. At length the reft of the Carthaginian fieety
confifting of a hundred and tjwrenty gallies, came up,
and fell upon the Romans. As they had greatly the ad-
vantage in the lightnefs of their veflels, they nimbly rowed
round the Roman gallies, in order to avoid the corvi.
But the Romans having learnt the art of working their .
ihips, fo as to prefent their machines to the enemy, which
way foever they approached them, they took fifty more
of the Carthaginian ftups, and obliged the reft to retire
into the neighbouring ports of Sicily. In thefe two en-

fagements the Romans took £even thpufand prifoners,
illed feven thoufand men, funk thirteen (hips, and* took
eighty. After this victory Duilius, going aihbre, put
himfelf at the head of the land-fprces, relieved Segefta,
which was befieged by Hamilcar, and made himfelf
mafterof Macella, though defended bya numerous gar-
rifon *.

The campaign being ended, Duilius returned to Rome,
but left his legions in Sicily. During his abfence a dii^
pute arofe between them and the Sicilian auxiliaries. The
Sicilians complained, that the Romans were always placed
in the moft honourable pofts, that is, in the moft dan-
gerous. The difference proceeded fo far, that the Sici-
lians feparated from the Romans, and encamped by them«-
felves. Hamilcar, who was too vigilant not to draw ad- ^^' ff^'
vantages from this mifunderftanding, attacked the Sici- *gam7ome
lians in their entrenchments, and put four thoufand of ad^van
them to the fword. He then drove the Romans from ^ages o'vir
their pofts, took feveral cities from them, and over-ran ^^' ^**
great part of the coutitry. In the mean time Hannibal, "^'^^^
after having been overcome in the fca*^ngagement by the
Romans, leaving Sicily, failed with the remains of his
(battered fleet to Carthage. In order to fecure himfelf
from punifhment, he had fent one of his friends with all
fjpecd, before the battle was known, to acquaint the fe-

' » Polyb. lib. J. cap. a«— »4, Zonar, lib. viii.

A a 4 mtCj

S^o

Honours
hefionnsd
at Romt on
Dnilius.

The JbmM Hi/iory*

nate, tliat the Romans had pot to fe^ with a good number
of heavy Ul-built yeflels, carrying feme machine which
the Carthaginians had never feen before. After th^ mcf-
fenger had given the fenate this accomit of Ae Roman
fleet, he afked them whether it was their opinion, Ast
Hannibal ihoixld attack them. The anfwer was vnmu
mous : ** Let our admiral (they cried out with one Toicc)i
fight the Romans, and punifli them for daring to brave
Qs on our own element.'* Then HannibaPs friend ac*
quainted them with what had happened. " What you
now command (faid he), Hannibal has ventured to do.
Fortune indeed has not favoured htm ; but who can be
anfwerable for the event of things ? Hannibal thotght as
you do. And fhall the uncertainty of fortune be deemed
a crime ?" As the fenators could not blame him without
condemning themfelves, they fpared his life, but deprived
him of the command of the fleet •.

While the Carthaginians thus difgraced their unfortu-
nate admiral, the Romans heaped honours on the brav6
Duilitis. A'viftory gained by lea was more valued at this
junfiure, that all the conquefts their confuLs and di£bi-
tors had formerly atchieved by land. Th^ conful en-
tered the city in triumph, attended with the accbmations
of all Rome. A mark of diftinftion was granted him,
Which had never been heard of befbre. Whenever he re-
turned from, fupper, he. was attended with mufic and
torches. This honour was granted for once only to thofe
who triumphed, when they returned home in the even-
ing from the folemn feaft, which wa3 prepared -at the ex-
pence of the public on fuch occafions, ButtcrDuiHus this
diftinftion was continued as long as he lived. TV) perpe-
tuate the memory of his triumph, naedals were ftrucic, and
a pillar of white marble was crcftcd to his honour in the
forum Romanum (G).

The confute for- the next year were L.'Comcfius Sci-
pio, and C. Aquilius Florus. The command of the fleet
fell by lot to the former, and that of the land-forces to
the latter. They were both ordered into Sicily, but Cor-

« Polyh. D»d, Sic. ibid.
Iiluftr« Zoaan ibid.

Val. Max. lib. vfi. cap. 3. Auft. Vir.

(G) This pillar, called cc
lumna roflrata, from the beaks
of the (hips, in Latin rojira^
that were faftened to it, was
fffcldentally recovered ini56o,

and placed by die care of car-
dinal Alexander Famefe in the
Capitol : where it ftill remains :
but the infcription is fo efi&ced
as to be uuinteiiigible.

qeljuj

The Kfimm Hift^ty^ g6i

fieiius had kave to make aii attempt upu» tibe iflftodsiof
Coi&aaml Sardioia, if an oppoitiuuty olrered.i WhUe he
"wzs employsed in gettkag seady the fleet in dUFoieni pwt^
ef Italy^ bis colleague was detained, at JBLome, to fuppi^fs ^ ^fanger*
a dangerouaconfpiiQcy. The cefublic had^caufbd a great cus conjpi-^
numbec of men to be broa^t to Rome, from all tbe pfo<r ^^ ^
irinoes fufa}e£l; fo ber, ta Scsir^ as roiBrei!&iO& board her gaUef Sa ^^^"^
Amon^ thefe were four thotifand fiamnifees, Jiriu&^ b^ng
unwtlhng to enter in the fe8-^iernice» and finding a plot
formed by the dHconteated flaYestoburn a^d plusder the
city, entered intp the confpiraey, and jokied the flaves^
who were thrte thaiifand in numben As they wanted a
leader, they pitched .upon one Errius Potitius, who eom^
manded the anxillaries, a man of Jinown experience. £r^
rfus feemed to enter heartily into their meafures, till he
had learned the whole &cret, and then he difcovered it to
the fenate. ,AU the Haves were put in irons by their
inafters^ and the Samnites imprifoned K

During theijs diftra£):ions at Rome^ Cornelius had
«(re^hed anchor, and was already on the coaib of Cor&ca.
tAs men are gpneirally fond of new undertakings, the con^
iul thought the two iflands of Corfica and Sardinia worthy
of a campaign. An4 indeed no conqueft, next to that of
Sicily, could So well'«nfwer the end die republic then bad
4ti view^ which was, to gain the empire of the fea. Thft
darfifaa^nians, who were then mailers of them, had fo&-
/ifiedfome places in thefe iflands, ia order to be nearer to
Italy, and make themfelvcs formidable to the maritime
cities* The conful attacked Corfica, which he eafiiy re*- TAiRo^
duced, after he had made himfelf mailer of Aleifia, the W*'«**
ijnly ilrong place in the ifland. From Corfica he ffdled to ?^^ ^^''
Sardinia, aiid appeared with hi$ fljeet^pff Olbia^ a large ^^^/^.'
city on the eail fide af the iiland. But as the place was
defended by a numerous gariif(sm, and the conful wanted
land-forces, he failed bo^lc to Italy, took on board faiis
-fleet as many troops as he could convenieixtly carry, and,
returning to Sardmia, made a defcent^ and laid fiege to
Ott)ia. Hanno, who had behaved fo well in Sicily, de-
fended the place with incredible bravery; but being killed
in one of the attacks, the Caitbagifiians were obliged to
-ikrrender to the conqueror, who gave the Africans an ii^
^fiance of humanity, to .which they were utter ilrangers :
iie faondured the dead body of their general with magni*
Scent obfequies^.apd attended it in perfou to the place of

^ Orof. lib^ iv. cap, /• Zonar, lib. viii.

burial.

J

^Si 7*^^ Reman Hftory.

bnrial ^* The conful did not fufier the ardour of his troop
to cooly but befieged and took moft of the maritime dtiesy
driving the Carthaginian every where before him.

In the mean time Aquiiius, arriving in Sicilyi lepsdied
the loffes the republic had fuftained in that iuand, fioce
the departure of Duilius. Hamilcar had taken from the
Romans the cities of Enna and Camerinai and fortified
Drepanum^ a place of great importance on account of its
harbour. As the conful Aquilius had been detained at
Rome to fupprefs the confpiracy, and did not arrive in
Sicily till the campaign was near ended, the republic re*
called his colleague Cornelius to prefide at the elefiiouof
the new confuls ; when A. Attilius Collatinus, and C
Sulpicius Paterculusy were chofen. The command of
the fleet fell to the latter, and that of the land-forces to
Attilius. Aquilius was continued in the command of tbe
army in Sicily Mrith the title of proconful, till the arrival
of Attilius ; during which time ne drove Hamilorootof
Uff^a- the field, and laying Cege to Myiiftratum, a city of great
twm im Si' Arength, which the Romans had often^ endeavoured is
tUjf takiH. ^aju |q reduce, brought it to fuch flraits, that it furrendcr-
ed to his fucceflbr Attilius foon after his arrival. Tic
proconfttl, upon his return to Rome, was bonoureid with
a triumph* as was his colleague Cornelius, for tbe con-
quefts he bad made in Sicily and Sardinia ^. From Mj-
.fiftratum^ Attilius led his army to Camerina ; but on his
way was furrounded in a deep valley by the CarthaginianS)
who, under the command of Hamilcar, iay concealed os
the hills, fo that all the avenues being blocked upt he
^eftomoH could neither advance nor retire. In this extremity a fc*
mrf/yfivv' gionary tribune, called by fome writers Caeditius, by others
J^^'^' .Laberius, but by the great^ft number M. Caipttrniw'
jTSSSLr; Hamma, dcfircd the conful to give him three hundred
tribunt. chofen men> promifing to find the enemy fo i^^^^^ ^
ployment with this fmall company, as (hould obfe the©
to leave a paflage open for the Homaii army, n^^'
formed his promifc with a braverytruly heroic ; for, having
feized, notwithftanding all oppofition, an*eminence, a^j
entrenched himfelf on it, the Carthaginians, jcalousot
his defign, flocked from all quarters to drive him from his
port; but the brave tribune kept their whole anny cm-
ployed, till the conful, taking advantage of the ^^^^^^»
drew his army out of the bad fituation into which h€ had

« Orof. lib.iv. cap. 7. Val. Max. lib. v. capi i. . ,?J*^
Triumph. Zonar. Jib. viii. Liv. Epi.t. xvii. A. Gel. w* ^

imprttdefltly

The Roman Hiftory. 36J

imprudently brought it. When the legions were out of
danger, they haftened to the relief of their companions ;
but all they could do, was only to fave their bodies from
the infults of the enemy 5 for they found them' all \dead in ' - \
the place, on which they had pofted themfelves, except
Calpurnius, who lay under a heap of dead bodies, covered
*with wounds, but ftill breathing. His wounds were im-
mediately drcffed ; and it fortunately happened that noni
of them proved mortal. For this glorious enterprize he
vras rewarded with a crown of gramen, which was. in thofc
happy days a greater encouragement to the Romans to
ferve their country, than the hopes of more fubftantial
rewards *•

Attilius, thus refcued from infamy, ptirfued his march 7-^5^ j^^
to Camerina, which he took by the help of engines fent ma»t tak§
him by Hiero, king of Syracufe, and fold all the Cartha- {e^verai «•
ginians in the place for flaves. He then marched to Enna, ''^ '" ^''
the inhabitants of which place opened the gates to him, ^'^'
delivering the Carthaginians up to the Romans, who put
them to the fword. Sittana was taken by aflault, and the
army, which came to relieve it, put to flight. From
thence the conful led his army into the country of the
Agrigentines, and, by making hiaifelf mafter of Camicus
and Erbefia, drove the enemy out of that fruitful terri- *

tory. Attilius, fluflied with this fuccefs, raihly laid fiege
to Lipara, expefting it would furrender upon the firft
fummons But Hamilcar, having conveyed himfelf pri-
vately into the city with fome chofen troops, made a fally,
when the Romans were beginning to fcale the waits, and
repulfed them with great lofs '.

Sulpicius, who commanded the fleet, completed the _

conquefl: of Coriica and Sardinia, and affifled his colleague
in the reduftion of the maritime cities of Sicily. The
hrave conful was ambitious of fignalizing his campaign
by a naval vi£tory; but as no Carthaginian fleet ap-
peared at fea, he fpread a report, that he intended to go
in queft of it, and bum the fhips of the African rep,ublic
in their own harbours. This intelligence alarmed the
CarthaginianSf who trufted Hannibal once more with the
command of a confiderable fleet. He immediately put to
fea, and met Sulpicius not far from the coaft of Africa. .
While both fleets were preparing for an engagement, a
fudden ftorm parted them, and drove the Roman as well
as the Carthaginian vefiels into the ports of Sardiniau

e Zonvr* lib. viii. cap. xi. Ltv. Eplt. lib. xvii. Au6l. Vir. Il« -
'^i4» A. Gd ibid. Floi'- lib.ii. cap.s* ^Polyb. ibid^ cap. 14.

The

3^ 7%^ Rman H^q^^.

TkiCM^' Theftorm no ibonor began to^bate, than Solpicius^ pm^
thagimimn ^^^ ^^ fgj^^ fuq)ri5Bd j^annibial in tb^ ^arlwj^i;, afid eithc^
i^lfU!' funk or tool^ moft of hia fliips, Tbis^ "igisif^rtviae occa^Gcui*
^'^ ' ^4 g mutipy amo^g the feamen of. his^ fleeC who, feizing
oo tb€ person of :th^ir commani^er. QrupSe^ liim in tl^
iJity ,of Svlci in Sy^iw, where 'i^''6^:tak4t rcfwgc.
Siucb w«iB the en4 of pld Hzntul^y ;af. be.^s pall/ed Iby the
iiftoriana, to difting^iil^ him fij9tw j^ef(pqp;^ Hanpib^t
9Fho proye4 fo fat^ IQ the Romans. Qif jpiQiiis, . after th^
yiittory, rexu|fne.4. to Jlpme, :»rheriC bcjif^feiyed the ho-
4UDar$ of j^^tri^pipb «.,,.. . , , . .

. Tbfi.C9pfgl$ rf tfep follp^iqg ycar^ C. AttUiuf Regulus,
and Cn. Cornelius Blafio, having, accorcfing to cuftoniy
r ix^wH lots fpr their conup^nd^i tb^t* qf 4ve fleet fell to
. Iie|[uJu8, aftd the le^dii^g of the Jaoji-f^o-^^^
A. Attjlius w^ continued in the cofxjn^^ o^tbie army iff,
Sicily with the title of proqpnful. Ri^^u^ who com-
manded the Roman flc^, being J^t Typflaris, ^efcrying
that of the Cartbaginiap^ lying ^jong ri^ cpajj^/n djf9rdef^
adv^ncpd with ten g^lli^s only, to jShfeplp-.^^lf; Wpi^r
gnd ftrength, ordering t^e reit of h^is wf^^to. fbUoiw ^^
A Roman Mi po(fible expedition) j /W ^ bp.diiejf tc^ pear the ^ne-
jquadro* |py, be was inveftefl by ^ greater <niunhi^r of Carths^jnian
• ^poyed g^Hies, The Roms^ps fought ^^lU^ tkeir ufual l^rayery j
Sie«i^/' ^^^» "^^^K ov?r.powere4 by p^q^^q^s>-were oWige4 tp
^ jri^d. K[ow^v^4 .t|^|£ cpi>ful xji^a^c hif efcape, and jc^ned

the fleetj yrhich yas foUowi^ig jtbe ui^ortupate fqusvi^oii
TkiCar- fn line pf battle. H« tl^en h^d his. full revenge on the
ihaginians jenfin^f , ^ho )vere pv^t in diforder at the firft onfet, ^i4
^'/'u'^ ^ obliged to fave themfelves in the pqft pif Lipara, after
' ' *" liaving loft eighteen i^s» ten oif whic|;i ]B^cre taken vith
^1 their crevsj .?jpd ei^ht fi^nk ^. For this vifiory Q.
Attilius j^uius, ^ his retur/i tO; %^vf^^y receive^ the
Jbo^ufs of a[ tK^if^i^h^ as did ^Ifo 4f: A^tili^s for his ex-
ploit d^ri^e his ^oiiifQlAup ^d grpcou^^hip. The con-
iul Cprneliiis bad np oppK^^njty to ^gnalize htmielf :
j)e is £^id oj^y to ^/ive pillaged ^ i^e ^|n villages^ apd
^^ifd wafte the ifland of Melrta, ^Jjr^^ich werje too incpn)S-
iJerable ej^plgit^ to deferve a twiijpjpb. ^^9me being ter-
jrififd li^ith fe.^fc^fti Pfogidies dur}pg ^S 'f?an^PVg^^> ^^^
^ Xen^te tbQujrbt.th§i|:)ffA^s obliged jp regp/y the Ferise La-
ii^jpp, whjich h^^ .^een for foj^ne (ipip pn^gleded. <^
iQguJniws was crfjtted didat9r^ anfl h/s ^figointe4 M. Ls^
.tt>fi\*Ag^n?5ali9fthel^5fe. \

g Polyb.itjidr >»Zonar.Kb»yiii, cap. i«.

The

fHfe Rrmitn fiiftory.'

The war witK Carthage hkd already rafted eight years.
Iriie Carthaginians had loft Oorfica,. Sardinia, and aH
their dominions hi Sicily, ext^ept Lilybaeum, Panormus,
and a few placds in that neighboxirhood. Sicily had long ,
feemed to be the utfrtoft limits of the ambition of the Ro-
mians ; but now thfey tTiought df nothing lefs than reduc*
ing Carthage itfelf. With this vie^ the new confals, L,
Manlius Vulfo, and 'MartUs Atilius Regulus, whofe namfe
is famous in hiftory, werfe drdei'ed to pafs into Africa,
and to make that country the feat 6f Wa:r. Their fleet, for
this expedition, confifted of three hundred and thirty gal-
lies of difl^erent fizes, and aboard of each galley were a
liundred and twehty foldiers and threfe hundred rowers.
The enemy's fleet, dnder the comfmand of Hanno and
Hamilcar, was yet more formidable ; for it confifted of
three hundred and fixty fail, better manned than that of
the Romans. With this fleet the Carthaginian admirals
faired, and arrived at the port of Heraclea in Sicily, to
watch the motions of the Romans, and oppofe, at all
events, their defcdnt upon the coaft of Africa. The con-
fuls, neverthelefs, purfued their courfe, and, appearing
ofFEcnomus, not far. from Heraclea, formed in line df
battle. Hanno and Hamilcar accepted the challenge, and
a bloody engagement enfued, which lafted the greatet
part of the day with equal fuccefs, the foldiers and com-
rnanders on both fides diftinguifhing themfelves on thi's
occafion in a moft eminetit manner. But at length fortune
declared in favour of the Romans. The Carthaginians
•were routed, thirty of their ftiips deftroyed, fiicty-three
taken with their crews, and the reft Obliged to take
•fhelterin the ports of Sicily and Africa. In this aftioil
the Romans loft but twenty-four gallies, which Were all
funk *.

In purfuancc of this viftory, the confuls, returning
into the port^ of Sicily, equipped, with all pofllible expe-
dition, the fliips they had taken from the enemy, em-
barked new troops> and took' in frefh provifions, in order
*to make the intended defcent upon Africa. Hanno en-
deavoured to amufe them with conferences, in hopes df
receiving, in the mean time, fome fupplres from Car-
thage : he had even the bold'nefs to eome in perfon to con-
'fcr with the confuls, as a deputy frdm his republic.
When he arrived, the multitude cried 6ut, that he ihould
be 'detained prifoner, by way of reptifal for the treachery

3^5

T^eftiw
€onfuis or*
dtred into
Africa*

Yr. of FI.

1T03.
Ante Cbr.

245-
U. C. 50$

TAe Car-
thaginian
fleet Touted*

i Polyb. ibid. cap. 16, 30. Orof. lib. iv. cap. S.

pra£tifedy

^66 the Roman Htjloryt

Jra^^ifed^ five years before, on the perfon of the confut
lornelius Afina. Hanno, alarmed at tliefe clamours^ with
an air of confidence^ put this flattering and artful queftioh
to the confuls : '' What advantage can it be to you, con-
fulsy tO' imitate our perfidioufnefs i It will only be faid,
(hat Rome produces as bad men as Carthage." The
confuls replied, that thdugh the perfidious CartHaginians
had violated the law of nations, it became the probity of
the Romans to obferve them even with traiitors : and
fuffered him to return utitouched ^. There being no dif-
potition for peace on either Gde, Hanno repaired to Car-
thage, to give notice of the approaching invafion.
ThiRo- 1 he confuls fet fail, and the \(reather proving favour-

moJtj m«l# able, had a fortunat(^ paffage. The firft land in Africa
^efrtnt they made was cape Hermea ; and there the fleet lay at
itp^Ajri* 3q^Ijqp fome time, waiting till all the gallies and tran£>
ports came up. From thence they coafted along till they
arrived before Clupea, a city to the eaft of Carthage,
where they made their firft defcent* Clupea, or, as the
Greek writers call it, Afpis, was conveniently Gtuated
for a magazine of arms and provifions* atid had near it
feveral ports for iheltering fuch ihips as (hould come from
Italy. The Romans, therefore, having laid up their
fleet in one of thefe ports, and fecured it on the land-fide
with a ran^part and a large ditch, invefted the city,
which was immediately fur rendered ^ From Clupea they
difpatched a meflenger to Rome, to acquaint the fenate
and people with their fuccefs, and to receive freih inftruc-
tions as to their proceedings. While the confuls waited
for the return of the meflenger, they marched into the
criun^ry, and, ravaging the fruitful plains of Africa,
where no enemy had long appeared, returned to the coaft
with an immenfe booty. While they thus lived at difcre-
tion in the enemy's country, the meflenger returned from
Rome with orders for Manlius to repair to Italy with the
.fleet, and for Regulus to purfue the war in Africa, with
as m^ny troops and (hips as he thought proper for that
fervice» But Regulus appeared greatly difiatisfied with
the province afiigned him, and defired to be recalled*
He reprefented to the fenate, that upon the death of the
huibandman, who had the care of his little farm of feven
acres of ground, he had been obliged to employ a day-
labourer, who had (lolen his cattle, and carried oflPall his
ftock ; fo that his prcfeuce was necdflary at home to pro-

k Zonar. lib. viii. cap. is. Val. Max. lib. vi. cap. 6. i Po-

ly b. ibid, cap. jo, 31.

vide

The Roman Hi/lory* 367

vide for die fubfiftence of bis wife and cbildren. Upoa
this remonftrancey the fenate ordered his family to be
maintained at the expehce of the public ; but diredted him
to continue in Africa, and command the army there with
the title of proconful, when the year of his conlulate (hould
expire". Purfuant to thefe orders, Atilius remained in
Africa with forty (hips, fifteen thoufand foot, and five
hundred borfe, while his colleague returned to Rome with
the reft of the army, carrying aboard his fleet twenty*
feven thoufand prifoners.

In the following year the republic raifed Sen Ful?ius y^.^ ^^ ^i.
Kobilior, and M. ^milius Paulus to the confulate; but ^104.
all the attention of the republic was upon Regulus, who Ante Cbr,
now, as proconful> pu(hed on his conquefts with incre- M4'
dible rapidity. To oppofe his progrefs, Hamilcar was ^'^' ^^^'
recalled from Sicily, and to him were joined Boftar and jTZ^^T*
Afdrubal. Hamilcar commanded an army equal to that conquifu
of Regulus ; the other two headed feparate bodies,' which
were to join him, or z€l apart, as occafion required. Be-
fore they were in a condition to take the field, Regulus,
purfuing his conquefts, arrived on the banks of the Ba-
grada, which empties itfelf into the fea at a fmall diftance
from Carthage (H). Having pafTed this river, he befieged -

n Polyb. ibid. cap. 19. Val. Max. lib. iv. cap. 4.

(H) There he is faid to have ftones againft this new enemy,

^en haraffed by a ferpent of and had the good luck, with

an immenfe fize, which in- one of them to break his back-

fe45^ed the waters of the river, bone ; thus difabled, it was

poifoned the air, and killed all difpatched with darts and ja-

other animals with its breath, velins. His dead body cor-

When the Romans -went to rupted the air, and the water

fetch water, this huge dragon of the river ; and fpread fo

attacked them, and, twiftmg great an infe£tion all over the

Itfelf round their bodies, either country, that the Romans

(queezed them to death, or were obliged to decamp. Wc

{wallowed them alive. As its are told,* that Regulus fent the

hard and thick fcales were (kin of this frightful moniler

proof againfi: their darts and to Rome, which was a hun-

arrows, they were forced to dred and twenty feet long, and

have recourfe to the balidae, that it was hung up in a tern-

which they made ufc of in pie, where it was preferved to ^ ,

fieges. With thefe machines the time of the Numantine

they difcharged ihowers of large war ( i ) •

(1) Vide Flor. lib. ii. Zonar. lib. viii. cap. 13. Orof. lib. iv. Val.
' Max. lib. i. cap. S. Gell. lib. vi. cap. 3. Piin. lib. viii. cap. 14.

Adls,

j68

The RofMH Jl}0&fy.

Smdsprom
ptfalsof
f$ace to

CartAage,
mifkich an

Adisy or Addd, not far from Carthage, wliich tfte eiieilif
atteft^pted to relieve ; but as they encamped among the
hills and rocks, wKere their elephants, in which the
ftfcngth of the army lay, could be of no nfc, Regulus
killed feventeen thoufand of them, took five thonfand pri-^
foners, and eighteen dephants. Upon the fame of this
vidtory, which was foon fpread all over Africa, deputies
catne from all quarters to fubmk, in the name of their
refpedJve cities and ftates, to the conqueror ; infomuch
that Regulus, in a few days, became maftcr of eighty
towns ; among which were the city and port of Uttca,
Thefe fuccefTc^s increafed the alarm at Carthage, which
was reduced to defpair, when Regulus laid fiege toTmits,
a city about nine miles from that capital. The plftce tiras
taken in fight' of the Carthaginians, who, from their wafls
beheld all the operations of the fiege, and fafiered the
Romans to carry on their attacks without offering to reliefi
it. To complete their mirfortunes, the Numidians, their
neighbours and irreconcileable enemies, took up arms,
entered their territory, and committed every-where dread-
ful devaflations, which foon occafioned a great fcardty of
provifions in the city. The public magazines were ex-
haufted ; and as the city was full of merchants, who took
advantage of the public diftrefs to fell their provifions at
an exceflive price, a famine enfued, with all the evils
which generally attend that calamity.

In this extremity, Regulus advanced to the gates of the
city; and having encamped under the walls, fent depu-
ties to treat of a peace with the fenate. The deputies ,
were received at Carthage with inexpreffiblc joy ; bot the
conditions they propofed were fuch, that the fenate could
not hear them without indignation ; and Regulus^ as if
he had made a complete conqueft of Carthage, would
abate nothing of his firll demands. The conditions im-
ported, I. That the Carthaginians (hould relinquifli all
claims to Sardinia, Corfica, -and Sicily. 2. That they
•ihould i-eftore to the Romans the prifoners they had takea
from them fince the beginning of the war. *3. That if
they chofe to redeem any of their own prifoners, diey
(houki pay for them at a price Rome (heuld judge rea-
fonable. 4. That they (houM for ever pay the Romans
an annual tribute. 5. That for the fntarc they ihould fit
out but one (liip of war for* their own ttfe, and fifty tri-
remes to ferve in the Roman fleet, at the dcpence of
Carthage, when required by any of the future confuls.
Thefe extravagant demands provoked the fenators, who

unanimoufly

i*he J^amdn Hiftory.

toaAunobfly rejeded tfaem ; prbtefting, tfatit they vouM
rather die z thoufand times, than fubpiit to fo (hamcful a
flatery. The Rotnaa deputies, in leaving the affembly,
told tfae feiiate, that the proconful would not alter a fingle
letter m the prdpofals ; and th»t they muft either oonqaet
the Bomaiie, or obey them. Mtcx this declaration, the
Cartltagiarans had nothing left but to fell their lives dear,
and to die with honour,, in defence of their country ".

Before this negotiation, the Carthaginian republic had
iient tQ hire mercenaries in Greece ; and^ this reinforce-
ment arrived juft in the height of her diftrefs. Among
tihele mercenaries was a Laceddomonian, hj name Xan-
ttppus, a jnan of greai; brayery and experience in wan
The Lacedaeoionifan, having informed himielf of the cir^
cimxftances of the laite jbattie, dedared poblioly, that their
aieitbrow was owing to their own mifconduA, and not
to the fi^rior ikiU and ptowefs of die enemy. His di£-
courib came to the knowlege of the fenate ; and the feqar
tors immediately commanded -bim to be brought before
4hem« Being introduced, he explained kimfeU' fo clearly,
and ta&edib judictonfly, that the Carthaginian generals,
'Ss well as the reft, were for placing him at the head of
the army ; and a decree was made for that purpofe. Xan-
.tqtpQS, being thus iovefted with the fupreme command,
applied himfelf to the difciplining of his troops after the
JLacedaemonian manner : he then took the field with twelve
.thoufand foot, four thoufand borfe, and about a hun-
ted. elephants* The BcMiians were furprifed at the fud«
des change they obferved in the enemy's condudl. How-
jever, Regulus, elated with his laft fuccefs, encamped at
^a fmall diftance from the Cacthaginian army, in a vaft
jfdarin, where the enemy's elephants and hone had room
^o act. The two ^mies were parted by a riv<er, which
j3(legulus boldly pafied, and by «that motion left his troops
no way to retreat in cafe of a misfortune. Xantippus
isunediately cried out, ^* The gods favour us I" and
jbrmed his men in order of bsittle. In the firft line he
placed his dartmen, with orders to ri^tire into the .fpaces
between the battalions, when they had 'made their dif*
charge. Behind them, but at fome diftance, were placed
the elephants, in a long .{jront, carrying wooden towers
filkd with men. Behind the elephants' was the Cartha-
ginian phalanx, confifting of the beft infantry of the

n Polyb. ibid. cap. 30. Orof. lib. iv. cap. S. Eutropt lib, li*
Zoo. lib. viii. cap. 13. Aiod. J^c. .i« J^a6cr|^

VoL.X. Bb army;

3^9

the Lac9f>
d^monian%
arri<ves im
MfrUm*

Is appoint •
idgentrtU
of the
Carthagi*
nianarmy^

^jo The Roman HiJIofy:

drmy; and thefe conftituted the main body. As for fbe
wing8» Xantippus pofted his light-armed troops on the
kft, and the mercenaries en the right. Thefe two Mvings
were fupported by the African cavalry. Reguhisr drew
np hifs troops after the Roman manner ; but was guilty
of one great fault : to prevent the elephants froon^ break-
ing in upon him» he made hrs main body too narrov^, and
too jdeep ; a dripoiition which expofed it to the danger ef
being (brrounded *.

Xantippus began the attack, ordering the leaders of the
elephants to advance, and attempt the breaking of the
« enemy's hrd Hne. The Romans ftood the (hock of thoie
. animak with great bravery 9 but, in the mean tiroei
the Roman cavalry in the wings, being charged by the
Carthaginian, which was greatly fuperior in number,
:were overpowered, and obliged to fly ; while Regulus's
left wing, attacking the mercenaries, whom Xantippus
had pofted in his right, broke them, and purfued them to
..their camp, whither they retired in difordo^. In the
,mean time, the main body of the Romans, which Regi»-
Jus commanded in perfon, being attacked in front by the
elephants, and in the rear by the African cavalry, was
put into diforder: the elephants bore down all before
them ; and fuch of the Romans as attempted to make
their efcape, to avoid the fury of thofe animals,, fell in
7keRo* among the borfe^ and were cut in pieces. The main
?^r/^" d '^^^ being thus broken, and thrown into confufion, the
Regulm^ whole army was put to the rout, and the flaughter was
taken pri' univerfal. Of the Roman army, only two thoufand^ who
/^mr, purfued the mercenaries, efcaped, and arrived fafe at

Clupea. Regulus himfelf, with five hundred men, was
furrounded by tfie enemy, and taken. The reft were cut
m pieces, either in the battle, or in the purfuit. The
lofs of the Carthaginians was not above eight hundred
men, moft of them mercenaries in the right wing, \frhidi
was routed. The vi&orious army returned to the capital
/ of Africa, which Xantippus entered, as it were, in tri-
umph, leading the proconful with him among the reft of
the prifoners. All the people of Carthage ran to meet
their deliverer, and could fcarce believe* their own eyes*
They beheld, with unfpeakable pleafure, the proud Ro-
man in a ftate to excite that eompa'ffion, which he had
refufed to..^heir misfortunes. As for Xantippus they
looked upon him as a hero fent by the gods to refcue a

f Polyb. ibis), csp^ 3|« Frontim \ih* iii cap. S.

ixufersbic

The Roman Hijidffi 37 r

Bitferable people from defpair and oppreffion; and be-
llowed on him all the honours which gratitude could fug-
ged. -Bat the wife Lacedaemonian^ forefeeing that the
^rvice h6 had done them' would create him both envy
and danger, refolved tocontent.hirafelf with the glory of
fo noble a viflory, and, without waiting for atiy other
reward, returned to Lacedsemdn.

The defeat and captivity of Regul us caufcd as much
grief at ftome as joy at Carthage. Th^ fenate no fooncr
received an account of the pofture of their affairs in
Africa, fo contrary to their expedkation, than they or*
dered the confuls for the year, Futrius and ^milius, who
had hitherto continued at Rome inadive, to take proper
meafures for fecuring the coafts of Italy from an invafion,
to haften into Sicily, and from thence, if they thought
it advifeab'le, to pafs over into Africa, and fave the re-
mains of Regulus's army and* conquefts. In the mean
time, the Carthaginians fat down before Clupea ; but the
garrifon made fo brave and obftinate a defence, that the
enemy, motwithftanding their utmoft efforts, were obliged
to raifethe fiege. From Qupea they marched to Utica>
which they likewife befieged ) but abandoned the enter-
prize upon the news they received, that the Romans were
equipping a fleet of three hundred and fifty fail. This
•formidable armaitient was ready before the end of thjB
fummer ) fo that the confuls from Sicily, where they left
fome land-forcesy failed for Africa, in order to make a
fecond defcent. The Carthaginians, who had, with in-
credible e:itpedition, refitted their old veflels, and built a '
good number of new gallies, met the Roman fleet off
Cape Hermea, or Cape Mercury, and gave them battle ;
in which the lofe they fuftained was much greater than ^ThtCat^^
the advat^tage they had gained over Regulus. A hundred thngmians
and four of their ftiips were funk, thirty taken, and fif- defeated
teen thoufand of their foldiers or rowers killed in the ac- ^otAfy/ia
tion. After this battle, the Romans purfued their courfe ^ ^
to Clupea, where they had no fooner landed, than they
trcre attacked by the Carthaginian army, under the com-
mand of the two Hannos, father and fon. But, as the
brave Lacedaemonian was no longer with them, notwith-
ftanding the new difcipline he had eftabliflied, they were
routed at the firft oniet, in which they loit nine thoufand
men. ' • , ^

After thefe two glorious vi£lories, the one by fea, and ^0 Rfi*
the other by land, the Romans found themfelves obliged, ^^"j ^*
for want of provifions^ to drop their African expedition, ^^JJ

B b 2 and

i7^

manflett
dtfiroyed
ky a form*

aut a new
JUeU

The Roman Htftoryl

atid to evacuate both Clupea and Utka. In tbeir ^^
home they were deCrous of fignalizing the end of their
eonfulate by fome important conquefts on the coaft of
Sicily wheie fome cities fttU adhered to the Carthagi-
nians. They thought the fudden appearance of a viflio-
tious flee«» with a formidable army, would awe them in-
to fubjeftion. Inftead, therefore, of returning home,
they ftcered their courfe to the northern coaft of Skily,
Contrary to the opinion of all the pilots in the fleets nvbo
advifed them, as the feafon was far advanced, to fait
ft rait for Italy. Their obftinacy proved the deftru^oa
of the fleet ; for a more violent ftorm arifing than had
been known in the memory of man, the fleet was almoft
entirely deftioyedi of three hundred and feventy yeflels,
which compofed it, eighty only efcaped (hipwred^, the
reft being cither fwallowed by the fea, or dafhed againft
the Ihorc. This was by far the greateft lofs Rome had
ever fuftained \ for, befides the great number of ihips
that were caft away with their crews, a numerous army
was deftroy^d, with all the riches of Africa, which had
been by Regulus amaflTed, and depofited in Clupea« The
-whole ccyaft from Pachinum to Camerina was covered
with dead bodies, and ftrewn wilh the wrecks of the
ihips : infomuch that biftarytan fcarce afford an example
of the like dreadful difafter. The Romans, on this oo
cafion, experienced the conftant friendftup of king Hiera,
nvho fupplied fuch as efcaped the common calamity, with
cloaths, provJfions, and fhips to convey them to Meflfana.
This misfortune, however, was not imputed to the co»-
fuls, who were continued each in the command of an
army for the next year, with the title of proconfuL The
new conf^ts were Cn. Cornelius Afina, and A. Attilius
Calatinus. The former had been treacheroufly taken pri-
foner by Hanno, the Carthaginian, as we have related
above, and kept in captivity, till the firft defeent of the
Romans in Africa, when he was delivered from flavery,
during which he had been obliged to drive a plough p.

The Carthaginians, upon advipe of the misfortune
^hich had befallen the Romans, renewed the war in Si-
cily, hoping the whole ifland, which was now left de-
fencelefs, would fooh fall into their hands. Biit the Ro*
mans having, in the fpace of three months, launched an
hundred and twenty new gallics, which, with the old
opes that were refitted, midc a fleet of twx> hutidred and

> Polyb. Zon. Oroi & iJiod. Sic. ibid*

fifty

The Ronum HiJioYy. 37^

fifty fail, the confuls and proconfuls were ordered to pafs
over into Sicily, the former to command at fea, and the
latter by land. As they befieged only maritime cities,
they a£ted jointly, the lai^d forces invefting them on one
fide, and the fleet on the other. Their firft attempt was Ciphake"
on the city of Cephaloedium, on the north coaft, not far ***■•
from the mouth of the Himera, which was betrayed tp
them by fome of the inhabitants. From thence they fail*
ed to jranormus, the capital of the Carthaginian domi-
nions in Sicily; and, having feized the port, fummoned
the town to furrender. The inhabitants and garrifon be-
ing determined to fuftain a fiege, the confuls landed their
troops, and began to batter the walls with their engines,
by which a tower (landing near the f(^a was ruined. At andPanor*
^his breach the Romans entered, and made themfelves nius, taken
fnafters of the quarter called the New City, thofe who ^J'^'
defended it retiring into the Old City, whither they car- ^^^^*«'*
Tied terror and famine ; fo that the inhabitants foon fent
a deputation to the confuls, offering to furrender, upon
condition that their lives, liberties, and cifeds, were
fpared. The confuls, not ignorant of the extremity to
which they were reduced, would not qven grant them
their lives and liberties, unlefs they were ranfomed. The
unhappy people wefe obliged to fubmit, and forty thou-
fand paid two minx each for their ranfom. Thofe who
could not advance that fum,, were made flavcs, to the.
number of thirty thoufand, and fold. After this con-
^ueft, the confuls failed to Rome; but in their paflage
the tranfports, on which they had embarked the money
and fpoils brought from Panormus, were taken by the Car-
thaginian fleet ^. The proconfuls entered Rome in tri-
umph, for the yiftory gained over the Carthaginians at
fea during their confulate.

The confuls for the new year, Cn. Servilius C«pio, and
C. Sempronius Bisefus, with a fleet of two hundred and
fixty gallies, failed for Sicily, and appeared off Lilybseum ;
but finding this place too ftrong for them to attempt the
fiege of it, they fteered from thence to the eaftcrn coaft
of Africa, where they made feveral defcents, furprifed
fome cities, and plundered feveral towns and villages.
As they returned with the fpoils of that rich country,
they narrowly efcaped lofing their whole fleet on the flats
of the Lefier Syrtis, near the ifland of the Lotophagi ;
vhere, by coafting too near the fhore, their veffels ground-

9 Folyb, lib* U cap. 39- Diod. Sic* in Excerpt.

B b 3 C<^^

3.74

fleet de^
flr^ed*

tJimera
taken by
the Ro-
mans.

^h Roman Hi/hry.

tdj ^nd ftuck on the fand-banks, till the flood brougli|
them ofF again ; and; then they made away fo f^ft» that
the Africans took their departure for a flight. They arr
rived fafe at Panormus, and from thence, after a few dajrst
fet fail for Italy, having a fair v/ind till they came off
capePalinurus, ivhere To violent a ftorm overtook themi
that an hundred and fis^ty of their gallies, and a great *
number of their tranfports, were loft. The republic con-
fidering the two tempefts which had deftroyed her two
fleets, as a declaration of the gods againft her defign of
depriving the Carthaginians of the empire of the feay
made a decree, that fo|- the future no more than fifty
vefTels fliould be equipped ; and that thefe (hould be emr
ployed in guarding the coaft of Italy, and tranfporting
troops into Sicily. The proconful Cornelius commanded],
this campaign, the land-torces in Sicily ; and, though hir
(lorians give us no account pf his exploits, there is no
room to doubt but they were very confiderablc, fince he
was, on his return to Rome, decreed a triumph, as was *
alfo the conful Sempropius Blsefas*

C. Aurelius Cotta, and ?• Servilius Geminus, being
the enfuing year raifed to the confulatc, paflcd into Sicily,
to command the land-forces there, and made themfelve^
mafic rs of Hiniera, a city at the mouth of a river bearing
the fame name* Aurelius, animated with this conqueitj
which put his republic in ppflefjion of a fruitful territory,
formed a defign upon the ifland and city of Liparra ; and,
being fupplied with (hips by that faithful friend to the
republic, king Hierq, he tranfported fome of his chofen
troops into the iiland, and fat down before Lipara, the
metropolis : but, being feized with fome unaccountable
fcruple touching the aufpjces, he returned to MeiTana, to
confult the auguries anew. During his abfence, Q^Caffius,
and P. Aurelius Pecuniola, his relation, both legionary tri-
t>unes, being entrufted with the command of the army, atr
ta^cked the city, contrary to theirgenetarsexprefs command.
The beficged made fo vigorous a fally, that they repulfed
tke aggrefibrs, and, purfuing them with great fpirit,
burnt their palifades, and made an attempt upon their
camp. When the conful returned, he deprived CalDus
of his eipployment, and reduced Aucelius, after ordering
him to be fcourged, to the ftate of a private foldier, ob«
liging him to undergo the drudgeries of a common cen-
tinel- After having made thefe examples, the conful ap-
plied himfelf wholly to the fiege of the placci took it by

affault^

The Roman Hiflory.

^auit, and put almoft all the inhabitants to the fword ^
The confd^ having finiihed this conquefl, returned to Si-
cily; and, with an army of forty thoufand foot, and a
Choufand horfe, laid fiege to Ereta ; but as foon as the
Carthaginian army appeared, they abandoned tbe enter-
prize.

This year a plebeian, Tib. Coruncanius, by fome un-
known revolution, was raifed to the dignity of pontifex
xnaximus. As he* was a man of eminent probity, he con^
curred with the conful Aurelius, and the cenfbr^, to pu-
iiifli thoft who neglefled the worfliip of the gods, led ir-
regular lives, or tranfgreffed the laws of military difci^
pline. Thirteen fenators were ignominioufly ftruck off
the lift; and, at the motion of Aurelius, four hundred
knights, who had refufed to obey his orders in the iflaqd
of Lipara, were degraded. Aurelius, who had taken Hi*-
mera and Lipara, was honoured with a triumph, which
he obtained on tbe ides of April *, ' By a cenfus taken
this year, there appeared to be in Rome two hundred and
ninety-feven thoufand fevcn hundred and ninety-feven men
fit to bear arms. The Carthaginians feeing themfelvee
now mafteiis of the fea, and their hopes of reconquering
Sicily encreafing in proportion as they found their rivals
reduced to aft upon the defcnfive, they began to make
new levies in Africa, to hire troops in Gaul, aijd Spain,
and to equip a new fleet. But their treafures being exi-
hauftcd, they fent an embaffy to Ptolemy, king of Egypt,
intreating him to iend them two thoufand talents. That
prince, being refolved to ftand neuter, refufed to affift
them againft the Romans, telling them, that he could not,
without breach of fidelity, aflSift one friend againft an-
other '. However, the Carthaginian republic made an
effort, and, exerting herfelf, equipped a fleet of two hun-
dred fail, and raifed an army of thirty thoufand men, and
a hundred and forty elephants, appointing Afdrubal cont-
mander in chief both of the fleet and army.

While Carthage was employed in making thefe great
preparations, Rome raifed L. Csecilius Metellus, and C.
Furius Pacilus, to the confulate. They went into Sicily,
and there afted upon the defenfive, purfuant to theiir in-
ftruftions from the fenate. Though the confcript fathers
approved of the obedience of their generals, yet they be-
gan to refleft, that fo much caHtion and circumfpeftion

» Frontin. lib. iv. cap. i. Val. Max. lib. ii. cap. 4* Zo". lib,
viii. cap. 14. • Tab. Triumpb. Val. Max. lib. ii. cap. 9.

A Appiaxv apud Ful. Urfin.

Pb 4 4iQ2Pnou7:e4

375

Lipara
taken by
the Ro-

Yr. of FU

ai07.
Ante Chr.

»4i.
U. C. 507.

thaginia^
fit out a
new fleet t

376 fhi Roman Hiftofy.

diflionoiirtd the commanders, and greatly abated th^ covh
Tf^tfo' rage of the foldiers. They refumed, therefore, their
fgartj put former Yigour, and, forgetting their fliipwrecks, rcfoWed
a neiujiiii ^ p^ ^ jj^^ flg^^ ^q ^^3^ there being no other means to
'•y^«' prefenre Sicily. While the veflcls vere building, the coh

mitia chofe two confuls, who were both men of yaloisr
and experience ; namely, L. Manlios VuKb, and C. At-
tilius Regulos» coufin-german to the famous captive. The
late confal Furius was recalled from Sicily ; but bis coi-i
league Metellus continued there, with thb dde ctf pro-»
conful, to oppofe the army under the command of Afdrn-
bal. Metellus, who was an able commander, being al«
lowed by the fenate to a£l: according to his own judgment,
foon recovered the former reputation of the Romans in
Witilhf Sicily 5 for, by pretending feari he drew Afdrubal into
B^*"^ ^ . a difadvantageous fituation, near Panormus ; then gave
uryin^^' him z, terrible overthrow, and obtained one of the moft
Siicth^ fignal vifkories mentioned in the Roman hiftory. Twenty

thoufand of the enemy were killed, and many elephants;
of thefe latter a great number were alfo taken^ and fent
afterwards to Rome, where they fwellcd the pomp of the
conqueror's triumph* Afdrubal fled to Lilyb^eum^ which
he reached with great difficulty ; and the proconful, har-^
ing no more enemies to corHend with in the field, return-
ed to Rome, which he entered in triumph on the feventh
of the ides of September, The Romans had never fcco
a more magnificent entry. The elephants, to the num-
* her of a hundred and fourj marched through the city in

proceffion. The air rung with acclamations at the fight
of thofe animaiSi and of the great number of prifoners
in chains, among whom were thirteen officers of diftinc-
tion. The Romans having refolved never to make ufe of
elephants in war, they ordered them to be hunted, and
put to death in the circus, by their athletse, or wreftlers \
, fo that the peeople were at the fame time 4i'^erted,
and taught to defpife the animals they had hitherto fo
much dreaded. As for the unhappy Afdrubal, he was
condemned in his abfence, and on his return home cru-
cified, one misfortvme obliterated the remembrance of
his many iformcr important fervices ".

The cpnfuls, with the new .fleet of two hundred and
forty galleys, and fixty fmaller veflels, palling over into
Sicily, fefolyed to fur^afs, if poffible, their predecefllbr

ItCetellus, and to drive the Carthaginians quite out of the

* ■•

V ;^on. lib. viii. cap. 14. P0Iyb.cap.41— 43^ Orof. lib. iv. cap. 9.

ifland,

Tki Roman Bijh^. I77

48tad« With this view th^j UiA fi^ge lo IMjhm»U\ a Liib^um
city deemed impregnable, and the oaly {Aai€« of r«treit kifiegidif
:far the Cjirtbi^inian armic8. .B»t Lilyhwum prottd » fo- ^ ^•^
cond Trojr ; the fiege lafted ten yejrfe, the fcreds of the •*'*-
-two republics beiag exhaafted iv'ithin and withMil the
oralis of one fingle citj. The people of C^rtfatgo, lipoh
the news of this enterprise^ were fo difcouniged^ that thejr .
began to think of a peaoe. The trar had already hiftad
fourteen years ; they had loft their beft commanders^
their elephants had been taken from them ; their fleets
had been deftroyed a$ faft as they had put them to fea;
their finances weie as much exhauifasd as their armi^
-were diminifeed ; the only tocwns Acy had now left in
Sicily were Lilybseum arid Drepanum» the one invefted,
itnd the other expofed to the infults of the enemy's new
fleet, Thefe coniiderations induced them to think of
ending fo dcftru£kive a war by a fpeedy peace* With TheCar^
this iriew they began to foften the rigours offiegulus's ^f^^ginidns
confinement, and endeavoured to engage him to go to ^*^^?*'
Home with their ambafladors» and ufe bis intereft there /^ /^^^ ^
to bring about a peace upon moderate terms* or at \t^9i apioet.
an exchange of prifoners. Regulus obeyed, and em^
barked for Rome, after having bound himfelf by a folemti
path to return to his chains, if the negotiation did not
fucceed. The Carthaginian fliip arrived fafe in Italy ; but
^when Regulus cafne to the gates of the city, he refufed to
enter* << My misfortunes (faid he), have made me a flave
to the Carthaginians ; I am no longer a Roman citizen ;
the fenate always giv^s audience to foreigners without the
gates." His wife Garcia went to meet him^ and pr&-
fented to him his two young children ; but he only caib*
ing a kind of wild look on them> fixed his eves on the
ground, as if he thought himfelf unworthy ot the em«-
braces of his Mrife, and the carefies of his children. When
the fenators aflembled in the fuburbs, he was introduced ,
to them by the Carthaginian amba0adors, and together
with them made the two propofals with which he was
chained : <' Confcript fadiers (faid he), being now a
(lave to the Carthaginians, I am come on the part of my
Inafters to treat with you concerning a peace, and an ex-
change of prifoners/^ Having uttered thefe words, he
would have withdrawn with the ambafladors, who weffe
not allowed to be prefent at the cfetib^rations and dif-
putes of the confcript fathers. In vain the fenate prefled
him to ftay, and give his opinion as an old fenator and
{onf^l. {ie refufed to cpntinue in the afiembly, till his

Africa^

J

37S ^^ Rman Hiftory'^

African maften ordered him to comply : then the illuftn-
ous flave took his place among the fathers ; but continued
filent with his eyes fixed on the ground, while the moic
ancient fcnators fpoke*-
When it came to his turn to deliver his opinion, he
mtfpuek fpoke to this efkfk : ^* Though I am a flave at Carthage,
11'^''^' yet I am free at Rome, ^nd will therefore declare my
**" fentiments with freedom* Romans, it is not for your in-

tereft either to grant the Carthaginians a peace, or to
make an exchange of prifoners with them. Carthage is
extremely exhaufted ; and the only reafon why ihe fucs
for peace, is, becaufe flie is not in a condition to conti-
nue the war. You have been vanquifhed but once, and
that by my fault \ a fault which Metellus has repaired by
a (ignai victory. The Carthaginians have been fo often
overcome, that they have not the courage to look a Rc^
man in the face. Your allies continue peaceable, and
ferve you with zeal. Your enemy'sp troops confift only of
mercenaries, who have no other tie but thjit of intereft,
and will foon be difobliged by the republic they (erve,
Carthage being already quite deftitute of money to pay
them. No, Romans; a peace with Carthage does not
fuit your intereft, confidering the conditions to which the
Carthaginians are reduced. I therefore advife you to
purfuc the war with greater vigour than ever. As foe
the exchange of prifoners, you have among the Cartha-
ginian captives feveral officers of diftin£tion, iivho are
Joung, and may one day command the enemy's armies:
ut, as for me, I am advanced in years, and my misfor^
-tunes have made me ufelefs. ' Befides, what can you cx-
pedi from foldiers who have been vanquifiied, and made
ilaves ? Such men, like timorous deer that have efcaped
the hunter's toils, will ever be upon the alarm, and ready
to fly." The fcnate, greatly affefked by his difintcreftcd*-
nefsy magnanimity, ^nd contempt of life, would willingly
have preferved him, and continued the war in Africa.
Some were of opinion^ that in Rome he was not obliged
to keep an oath which had been extorted from *him in
an enemy's country. The pontifex maximus bimfelf, be-
ing confulted in the cafe, declared, that Regulus might
continue at Rome without being guilty of perjury. The
noble captive, highly oflended at this deciOon, as if
his honour and courage were called in queftion, declared
to the fenate, who trembled to hear him fpeak, that he
well knew what torments were referved for him at Car-
thage 9 but that be bad fo much vi the true fpirit of a

Roman,

The Raman Hifioty.

319

Romani a$ to dread lefs the tortures of a cruel rack than
the fliame of a diflionourable aftion, which would folJow
him to his grave. " It is my duty (faid he), to return to
Carthage. Let the gods take care of the left,-' This in-
trepidity rendered the fenate ftill more defirous of faving
fuch a hero. All means were ufed'to prevail upon him to
ftay, both by the people and fenajte.' He wpuld not even
fee his'wife Marcia, nor fufFer his young children to take
their leave of him. Amidft the lamentations and tears of Rnurus /#
the whole xity, he embarked with the Carthaginian am- Carthage,
bafladors, to return to the place of his flavcry, with as andup^a
ferene and chearful a countenance as if he had been go- *^^^
ing to a country-feat for his diverfion. The Carthagi-
nians were fo enraged againft him, that they invented
new torments to fatisfy their revenge. Firft, they cut off
his eye-lids, keeping him for a while in a dark dungeon,
and then bringing him out, and expofing him to the fun
at noon-day. Then they fhut him up in a kind of cheft
(tuck with nails, having their points inwards, fo that he
could neither fit nor lean without great torment ; and
there thev fuffered him to die with hunger, anguifli, and
want of fleep ^ (I).

w Appian. in Punic. Val. Max. lib. i. cap. i. & lib. ix, cap. i.
Cic. deOffic. lib. ii. A. Gel. Nodes Atticse^ &c. Li v. £pit«cap. i8.

(I). It is fomewhat ftrange,
that Hoffman fhpuld look upon
a fadt, attefted by a cloud of
credible witnefTes, as a fable.
It is true, that Polybius, in
pther cafes a mod exa6t hiilo*
rian, does not mention the
pruel death of Regulus. But
is the filence of a fingle authoi-,
who is wholly taken up in de-
fcribmg battles and fieges, fuf-
ificient to weigh down the ex-
prefs teftimonies of Cicero,
Livy, Appian, Zonaras, Vale-
rius Maximus, and efpeqally
pf Tuditanus, who lived in^e
fame age with Polybius ? All
fhefe writers agree, th:^t Re-
gulus died in the midil of ex*

quiiite torments; though it
mud be owned, that they re-
late the circumftanccs of his
death very differently : fomc
fay, that he was crucified;
others, that he died of t4ie
miferies of a long iroprifon-
ment : but the common opinion
is that which we have inferted
in the text. ' Regulus was not
the only perfon the Cartha*
ginians facrificed to their re-
venge. Valerius Maximus tells
us, that, with unparalleled cru-
elty, they cruftied great num-
bers of the Roman prifoners to
death with the weight of the
eallies that were upon the

lioCJlLS,

S E CT.

380

The Roman H^cry.

SECT. II.

from the Death ofRegutus to the taking of Saguntunt
by the Carthaginians.

XXT'HEN the news of the cruelties inflidled upon Rego-
^^ lus reached Romci the fenate> by way of retaliatioi^
gave up the chief of the Carthaginian captives to the re-
venge of Marcia, the wife of Regulus ; who, venting her
rage upon thofe unhappy wretches, caufed them to be
ihut up two and two in great chefts thick ftuck with nails,
and there to fuffer the fame torments which her bufband
had endured at Carthage. Boftar died the fifth day ; but
Hamilqar, notwithftanding the ftench and corruption of
:the dead body of his companion, lived ten days, having
as much food allowed him as was fui&cient to prolong
his Ufe in mifery. At length the fenate put a (top to
this cruel ufage, and commanded Boftar's alhes to be fent
home, and the reft of the prifoners, who had furvived
their tortures, to be ufed with more humanity *•
T/itRo' In the mean time the two confuls, Manlius and Atti-

maascar- jjug^ carried on the fiege of Lilybseum with great vigour.
F ** /•/'. J^in^^lco, a general of great experience, and perfonal va-
A^M. *' loMTf commanded in the place, which was ftrong both by
nature and art, and defended by a very numerous garrifon,
confifting of ten thoufand mercenary Gauls and Greeks,
hefides a prodigious number of Carthaginian and African
troops. The confuls divided the attacks between them,
the one invefting the city on the land fide, the other
blocking it up by fea. .Their camps had a communication
by a deep ditch, covered with a rampart and a wall, fo
that they could mutually affift each other. The firft at-
tack was made at the point of Cape Lilybaeum, where
were feven towers, which had a communication with
each other, and reached in a dire£k line to the town.
Thefe towers being taken one after another, the confuls
prepared td batter the wall of the city ; but were obliged
firft to fill up a ditch fixty cubits broad, and forty deep,
in order to bring their machines up to the wall. Hiis
proved a laborious work, the befieged drawing up the
earth into the cities by<?ertain engines, as faft as the be-
iiegers threw it into tne ditch. But the Romans, by the

^ Djod. Sic. lib. xxiv. A. Gel, lib, vi cap. 4.

fuperior

The Roman Hlflcry.

fupcrior number of their workmen, gained their point*
Then Himilco, with incredible expedition, threw up a
rampart, and built a new wall to cover that of the city.
The Romans endeavoured to undermine it ; but the ene*
my attacked the Roman miners under-ground, and pre-
vented them from carrying on their operations. The b&-
fieged, however, were much reduced, number? being
iilled in the fallies they made, and the reft harfafled ia
defending the works againft two confular armies. Thp
town muft have foon fallen into the enemy's hands, had k
not received a fealbnable reinforcement. The Romans
had fhut up the port fo clofely, that Himilco could not
find mean^ to acquaint the fenate of Carthage with the
condition to which he was re4uced. Nevorthelefs, it was
concladed, that, after fo long a fiege, the place muft
want both men and provifions : a fupply was therefoce
decreed of proviGons, and as many men as could be tran-
fport^d in a fquadron of fifty gallies ; which were accord-
ingly difpatched under the command of Hannibal, the fon
of Haoiilcar.. That brave commander, arriving fafe at
the iiland of .^ufa, fheltered himfeif there, waiting far
a proper time to force his way through the enemy's fleet,
which lay at the mouth of the harbour. As foon as a
briik fouth wind blew;, he crouded all bis fails, ordered
all his rowers to ply jiheir oars, pafied through the midft
of the Roman fleet, and arrived fafe in the port with. a re-
inforcement of ten thoufand men, and a great quantity of
providons. , The fudden appearance of the African fquad-
ron, and the fear of being forced into the port with the
enemy by the violence of the wind, prevented the Ro-
mans from attacking Hannibal \ fo that he got into Lily-
baeum without the lofs of a man. Himilco, encouraged
by this reinforcement, made the next day a briflc fally at
the head of twenty thoufand men, in hopes of deftroying
the engines of the Romans. Never was a£iion carried
on with more bravery, but the befieged were repulfed wi<ji
I great lofs, without being able to fet fixe to the engines,
as they intended J". :

The night after this obftinate a£tion, Hannibal, finding
bimfelf to be of no uit in Lilybeeum, put the Carthaginian
cavalry on board his gallies, failed boldly through the Ro-
man fleet, and got fafe to Drepanum, whence he made
incurfions into the territories of the allies of the Romans,
and intercepted the provifions which were defigned £sr

• A
y Polyb. lib. u cap. 45. Diod. Sic Ibid. . ^^

Ihc

381

4d receipt
a fupply rf

provjfimm

jt^ ^^ Roman Hi^.

pfond-t^tale advice. He had fcaroe aflbmed the C6iil«
^aod of the V9i]r> when, without confulting the other
officers, he formed a defign of furprifing DrepamiBy
where Adherbal, an able captain^ commanded for the
Carthaginians* With this view he put to fea in the nighty
with a fleet of a hundred and twenty gaUies that lay be-
fore LilybaBttmy having on board dbe flower of bis land<*
forces. Adberbal was furpri(ed, whcn» at boeak of daf»
be difcovered the enemy's fleet ; but recoik£ltng, that if
he biStxfi the harbour to.be blecfced up) be muft endose
^1 the calflfnities incident to a fiege, he refolved to ven-^
•tare an engagement. He therefore lailed out of the poit
with ,a fqiiadron of ninety galliesy and concealed bimieif
fb^wd rocks till the Roman fleet began to enter the mouth
.of tl^ haven. He then appeared^ and, £dling upon the
^ex^my'a £i)iiadrDn before they could form in line of battlCf
put them into great confafion. All the JSoman officers
advifed Clauditts to return to their former ftadon before
JUlybaeum ; but he being obfldnately bent i:qx>n engaging^
backed about, and widi the utmofl: cufficuky drew op in a
Jineof battle aloagihorey infiich a difad^antageous fitua*
^on, t^aty iu cafe of being obliged to give way, his veflfeb
<;oi|ld.nQt efcape perifhing among the rocks* Notwitb-
ftanding this difadvantage, Claudius perfifted in his iouD^
IQQr defign of engaging the enemy, not only contrary to
ihe opinion of his .officers, but in defiance of theaufpices,
whicii it was then diought highly impious to de^ife \ for,
^hen the fiscred chickens were confulted in his prefence,
andrefufed to feed^ he threw them^ coop and all, into the
feji: **If they will not eat, let them drink," faid he; not
l[<iflefiiing, ithat fudi a contempt of rehgiqn would dif-
Tr. of FU cowrage Us troops. Indeed the Romans feemed to have
ft I II. loft their courage in the adkion which enfued ; they made
AnteCbr. htttafatnt refinance, and fuffiured themfelves to be board-
.^7- ed by the enemy, and driven either upon the ihore or
' ' ^"^ 9gainft:the rocks. Claudius, Who had been fo forward
Claudius ^ hazard a battle, no fooner faw the vi£kory incline to
defiatid ly Adherhal's fide, ^an he retired as fsift as he could with
the Car* thirty gallies, leaving ^the reft to ftruggle with the waves,
thaginians* the rocks, and the enemy. The Romans loft ninety gal-
lieftinlhtfiill<rcondo£leflau£tion. Eight thoufand of their
moncwcfe either killed or drowned, and twenty thoufand
taken and fent pnfonecsto Carthage. The Canhaginiaas
g9tned;thb fignalvi^ry without lofing a fingle man, or
one galley*.

* Polyb. cap. 49. 53. Diod. Sic ibid. Orof. lib. !?• cap* lo. Val,
Mw«Jib i. cap. 4. Frontin. Strat. lib. ii. cap. ii«

The

tie ttvmn P^. ^ s^S

i%t news of this f^bl a£iion no fooner reached ftoin^i
,than Claufi^us was recalled^ and ordered to name a dicta-
tor. The proud conful, to infuit the fenate, and in deri-
,£6n pf the laws^ nominated to that fupreme .dignity one
of.his ownclients^ namqd Claudius Glycias> a man of th^
iaeaneft of the peopki who had no other office in the
city but that of viator, or tipftaff, to Claudius^ during his
confulate. This unfeafonable jeft provoked all orders of
men againfl: Claudius. The mockHdi£lator was forced to
abdicate; but the fenate allowed him to wear the robe
bordered with purple> called prxtexta, in the theatre
and circus, for the reft of his life,, for having refigned
bis di£lator(hip with a good graces ^ M. Attilius Cala^

. tinus (fucceeded him, ^bo appointed the famous Cseci-
lius Jyietellus general of the horfe. Cla&dius was, after ClautRui
his depoiition, tried before the people for his mifde- ^^poftd
meanors. Some writers fay he was condemned \ others ^^ ^^^'^
affirm, that the people were prevented from condemning
him, and driven from the forum^ by a fudden florm^ ,
^bich they looked upon as a tacit abfolution given him

.by the gods, and therefore did not call him to judgment
again ^. But this has the air of a fable, intended to wij^e
oSF the (tain from the Claudiati family, which was ui
great power at Rome. Polybius fays he was tried, and
iubjeded to a very rigorous fentence ^. /

The other conful, Junius Pullus, failed with ^^ttt of ^ifon/ki
H^Tiundred and twenty gallies, and eight hundred other ^*^^V
veffels^ to Syracufe, m order to take in provifions ^^^^^smk!"^

.for the camp before Lily baeum. From Syracufe he fent ; ^

the quxftors before him, with a fquadron, to fupply the

^prefent wants of the army, while he followed ivith the
reft of the fleet- Adherbal, who carefully watched all

. the motions of the Roman fleet, lid fooner heard that the
conful was at fea, than hel detached Carthalo from Dre-

. panum with a hundred gallies, ordering him to cruife off

< Heraclea, and there wait for the Roman fleet and con*
Toys. Receiving intelligence that the Roman fquadron

. jippeared a^ fome diilance, he prepared to engage them^
promifing himfelf a fure viftory. The quteftors, dif-
fident of their own ilrength^ fheltered themlclves amoi^
certain rocks near Phintia, a city fub]e& to the llomansi
where Carthalo attacked them, but was not attended witji
the fuccefs he eiLpe^ed, the Romans defending theix*

t> Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib. ii. k de Di?in« Val. Max. lib. viii. cap. u
< Polyb. lib. i. cap^ 5». *

• .VoL.X, C C TcflaSj

jS6 The Roman H0ofy.

vcflels with baliftxy and other engines, which they had
brought from the town, and planted pn the (hore ; fo that
Carthalo, after having taken only a few tranfports, retired
to a harbour in a neighbouring river, where he came to an
anchor, and kept a vigilant eye on the motions of the Ro-
man fleet. While he was thus waiting for the quseftors,
he was informed, by the vcflels he had fent out to make
difcoveries, that the conful Junius had, with a numerous
fleet, doubled cape Pachynum, and was fteering his courfe
for Lilybacum. Upon this important intelligence, he ini-
mediately weighed anchor, refolving to give the conful
battle, before he could join the quaeftoPs fquadron. He
crouded all the fail he could, and came in fight of the
conful's fleet oflF Camerina. But Junius, not caring to
hazard a battle, ftood in fliore, and took fanftuary among
the rocks that were next at hiand, thinking it more advifc-
able to run fome hazard, than expofe, by the lofs of the
fleet, which might be the confequencc of a battle, the
land-forces to the mercy of the enemy. Carthalo forbore
attacking them in fo dangerous a poft ; but, retiring to a
place between the two fleets, carefully obfervcd their mo-
tions. The Carthaginian pilots, who were well fkilledin
the weather, and acquainted with thofe feas and coaffe,
forcfeeing by certain figns that a ftorm would foon arife,
advifed Carthalo to weigh anchor, double cape Pachynum,
and fhelter himfelf under the oppofite (hore. Carthalo
followed their advice, having with great difliculty doubldi
the cape, and fecured his fleet, while the Roman fliips
TJu Ro' were either dafhed againft the rocks, or driven upon the
man fleet coaft. Never was there a more complete fhipwreck. We
enttniyde- are told, that of the confuFs fleet, and the quaeftor's fqua-
. frqjfe . Jron, which confifted of a hundred and twenty gallies,
and eight hundred tranfports laden with all forts of pro-
vifions and military ftores, not one veflel, nay, not a
plank was faved ^. Thus Rome was deprived of all her
naval force, and once more renounced the empire of the
fea. As the Romans, notwithftanding thefe lofles, were
ftill ftrongcr by land, .the blockade of Lilybaeum was con-
Eryx fur- tiiiued. The conful Junius, to repair his misfortune,
prifedby made an attempt upon Eryx, a place of great fti-ength,
the consul fituated on the declivity of a mountain, bearing the fame
Junius, name, and the higheft in Sicily, except Mount ^tna.
Hefucceeded in his attempt, and furprifed the place in
the night, by the help of fome foldiers, who betrayed it

^Polyb. lib. i. cap. 5^—56. Diod. in Excerpt. p.SSo.

to

The Roman Hijlory. ' ' 387

iohin^. To fecure this conqueft, helDUiIt a fort at the
foot of the mountain, and placed agarrifon in it of eight
hundred men. But Carthalo, foon after, made a defcent,
took the fort by aflault, and put the garrifon to the fword %
Some writers fay, that Junius was taken prifoner in de-
fending the place ^; others, that he laid violent hands pn
' himfelf, for fear of beihg condemned at Rome for his
illcondufts.

One of the confuls being dead, and the other depofed,
the diftator's prefence became neceffary in Sicily. As ^ht d'tBa*
from the foundation of Rome no diftator had appeared ^^^fi'*^ .
out of Italy, great things wefe^ expefted from him: but '"^•^'^'fi'*
Attilius performed no remarkable exploits. He gained
fome fmall advantages before Lilybaeum, and then return-
e4to prefide at the .elections for the enfuing year ; when
two were promoted to the confulate, who had enjoyed that
' dignity once before, C. Aurelius Cotta, and P. Servilius
Gcminus. The Romans having no fleet, the confuls
were ordered to purfue the fiege of Lilybaeum, and to Thinii»
prevent the Carthaginians from carrying fuccours or pro- '^^fi*^
vifions into that place, or into Drepaniim. Carthalo ^^ar\n
finding the Romans every-where upon their guard, he Sicily.
endeavoured to draw one of the confuls out of Sicily, by
making a defcenc upon Italy, and ravaging the provinces
belonging to the republic ; but upon the firft advice that
he had landed in Lucania, the praetor of Rome, putting
himfelf at the head of an army, which was immediately
rai fed in the city, forced him to re-embark, and return- to
Sicily. And now his mercenary troops began to murmur
for want of pay, no money having been fent 'them for
fome time from Carthage, which was almoft entirely
exhaufted with fo long and expenfive a warl To put H
flop to the mutiny, he punifhed the mod feditious with
great' rigour : fome were tranfported to defert iflands, and
left to perifli \ others were fent to Carthage, and there
executed.

This fe verity provoked even thofe who were peace-
ably inclined,^ infomuch that, the rebellion becoming
general, Carthalo was feafonably recalled, and a com-
mander fent in his room, who became afterwards' fa- Hamilcgr
mous for his implacable hatred to the Romans. This ^^'"^5'
great man was Hamilcar, furnamed Barcas, the fa- ^^^J^'^
ther of the famous Hannibal, the greateft officer Car- "^^
thage ever produced. Hamilcar, having appeafed the fe-

e Polyb. lib. i. cap. 56. f Zonar. lib* viii. cap. 15. s Cic

de Nat. Deor* lib. ii.

Q C 0. dition

388

B^th thi

/uisfeHt
inf Sicify.

A fiat •/
Roman
privatfers
d^ftOts a

Carthagu
nitmfitiU

^he Raman Hifiory^

dkion wTikh his predeceflbrhad ratfed bj bisusfeafbnaye
rigour, failed to Italy, and, more fuccefsxul than Caithalo^
laid wafte the territories of the Locrians and Brutians,
and returned to Sicily with an>immenfe booty. Haring
landed his troops, he encamped on a fteep rock betwimi
Panormus and Eryx, both belonging to the Romans ; asd
ifrom thence making incurfions into the lands of the allies
of Rome, he fo harafTed the confuls, that they conld make
but little progrefs in the fiege of Lilybeum. Hamilcar's
campaign was looked upon at Carthage as a mafterly piece
of condu£l. He had fubfifted, in oppofition to the utmoft
efforts of the "Romans, and at the expence of their allies,
l>etween two of their cities, and at a great diftance from
any place allied to Carthage, and at the fame^time dif«
concerted all the meafures of the confuls*

The new confuls, L. Caecilius Metellus, and Fabiur
Buteo, were both ordered to Sicily j the former, who bad
been conful once before, and was fo famous for his mag-
nificent triumph, was appointed to carry on the fiege of
Lilybaeum, and his colleague to befiege Drepanum. Ha-
milcar, by innumerable fallies from his eminence^ kept
both the confuls employed, and by this condtt& prevented
them from gaining any confiderable advantage during the
campaign. He feemed to be every where j his forefigbt
extended to all particulars, and his valour was equal to
any attempt **.

While afiairs were in this fituation in Sicily, the Ro-
mans pillaged the coafls of Africa, with a fleet built and
equipped at the expence of private perfons ; for the re-
public had laid afide all thoughts of building newgalliest
after the lofles (he had fuftained. However, (he pafled
a decree, impowering all her fubjef^s to build, equip,
andarmfliips at their own charges^ to pillage the coaftof
Africa, and apply all the plunder to their own afe. The
republic even lent the gallies fhe had left to private per-
fons, with this provifo only, that they (hould return them
in as good condition as that in which they had received
them. This fleet of privateers committed great devaftations
on the coaftof Africa, entered the port of Hippo, fet fire
to the fliips and houfes, and put to fea again loaded with
rich booty. On their return to Sicily they met a Cartha-
ginian fleet carrying provifipns to Ilamilcar,- and .gained
a confiderable advantage over it. However, the pride of
the Romans being now in a good jneafure abated by their

^ Polyb. lib. i« cap. 56^ Diodor, Sic'in Excerpt*

late

• The Roman Hifioty. 389.

late misfortunes^ they confcnted at laft to an exchange oJF.
prifoners; and they were exchanged man for man. As
the Carthaginians had more captives to redeem than the
Romans, the latter received money for the overplus, which
recruited their exhaufted trcafury. The number of the
Roman citizens appeared, by a cenfus taken this year,
to be no more than two hundred and fifty-one thoufand
two hundred and twenty> which was lefs, by eighty-fix
thoufand five hundred and feventy-five, than the number .
taken at the laft cenfus : a very confiderable diminution,
which can only be afcribed to the war *.

In the following year M. Otacilius Crafljus, and M*
Fabius Licinus, were created confuls j but they ^ made
little or ncf progrefs in the fiege of Lilybacum, which was
the province allotted to them, being daily h^affed by par-
ties fent outagainft them by Hamiicar. As they did not
return before the time of their confulate expired, Tib. Co-
runcanius was appointed di£lator, to prcfide at the elec-
tion of new magiftrates; when M. Fabius Buteo, and C.
Attilius Bulbus, were chofen confuls. During the con-
fulate of Otacilius and Fabius, a womfin of the firft rank
was feverely puni{hed,'for dropping fome words which
betrayed a want of afFe^ion for the public. Claudia, Ctatidta
the fitter of the late Claudius Pulcher, a woman tinftured Pj^^^fi^^
with the vices of her family, returning in a chariot from fl^^*
a public ihew, happened to be preffed in the throng, fwordsa*
Thus hampered, Ihe exclaimed» in a tranfport of rage 5 gainft thg
■*• I wifli my brother Claudius were alive again, that he P*^t^* '
might rid Rome, as formerly, of the mob, with which
the city is crouded.*' For thefe words (he was cited by
the two aediles to appear before the tribes ; and, notwithn
(landing all the body of the nobility could urge in her
favour, (he was forced to appear before the tribunal of
the Roman people, and condemned to pay a fine of twenty-
five thoufand afes of brafs, (that is, eighty pounds fourteen
(hillings and feven pence) which the aedile Sempronius
employed in building a little chapel on the hill Aventinus,
dedicated to Liberty ^. , Ham^ar^^

The two new confuls had no fooner entered upon their JupptUt Li^
office, than they fet out for Sicily. The Romans hoped ^^7^?^^
to reduce Lilybwum by famine, and therefore perfifted in ]^^^^^
carrying on the fiege : but the brave Hamiicar found
means to fupply the place with frefli provifions by fea.
The fame year, the Roman privateers gained a confider-

i Zon;»r. lib. viii. cap. 1 6. ^iv. Epit. lib. xix* ^ Aul. GeU

lib. x« cap. 6. Val« Max. lib. viii. cap. i.

C c a ^le

39^^

man pri»
nfateen
dtfiroyed hj
aJorMt

Yr. of Fl.

2116.
Ante Chr.

U. C. 516.

Jia^iicar
takes Eryx,

f^ yahur
end ad'

Hamikar.

The Homan fii/kfy^

able viftory over a Carthaginian fleet, within fight- of th«
ifland of ^gimur, near Africa 5 but were afterwards
dafhcd in pieces by a ftorm, which drove them againft
the rocks on the coaft of Africa *. ,

Notwithftanding all thefe difappointments, the Ror
mans continued the fiege of Lilybaeum, and difpatched
their two new confuls, A. Manlius Torquatus and C.
Sempronius BIsefus, into Sicily, with orders to ufe their
utmoft efforts againft the place. As it was well fupplied
with provifions, Hamilcar gave himfelf no farther trou-
ble about relieving it, or fen)dii\g in new ftores. He was
engaged in a defign to recover the city of Eryx, formerly
taken by the conful Junius. This was a difficult and
.-dangerous enterprize. The city of Eryx flood about the
middle of the mountain of that name, and was fortified
by art as well as by nature- The Romans were in pot
(cfEon of the temple of Venus Eryciria, on the fummit of
the mountain, and had a fort at the bottom of it, de-
fended by a good garrifon. But no difficulty could dif-
couragc the Carthaginian 'general : he fet out from his
carpp in the dead of night, and winding round the moun-
tain in a profound filence, arrived undifcovered at the
gates of the city, which he eafily forced open, and made
himfelf m after «of the plaee. All thofe who were found
under arms he put to the fvi^ord, and fent the re^ prifoncrs
to Drepanum "*• The war now took another turn : the Ro-
mans made it their whole bufinefs to difpoflefs Hamilcar
of this advantageous poft, and the Carthaginian did all
that lay in his power to maintain himfelf in it. The Ro-
mans, who were matters of a fort at the foot of the
mountain, befieged him ; and he, at the fame time, be-
fieged the Romans, who were potted at the top of it, in
the temple of Venus.

In this pott, between two garrifons of the enemy. Ha*
fTiilcar fnaintained himfelf, and amufed the Romans, two
whole years. This diverflon was of great fervice to his
country 5 for, in the mean time, the fiege of Lilybaeuni
advanced but flowly, and that of Depranum was raifed.
The ne^ corjfuls, C. Fundanius Fundulus and C- Sulpi-
cius Gall us, endeavoured in vain to drive Hamilcar from
his pott. The befieged and the befiegers fuffered, each
in their turn, all the miferies of war and famine. No
day paffed without feme rencounter. Both parties feemed
infcnfible of pains and fatigues, and bore the inconve-

1 Flor. lib. ii. cap. s.

» Polybk lib. i. cap. 59.

niencie^

Tie Roman Hiftory. 391

aiencies of hunger and watching, as if their bodies had
been proof againft pain and hardfliips. After the confuls
had, by many ftratagems, attempted in vain 10 make
themfelves matters of the difputed city of Eryx, the
Gauls, who made up the bell part of Hamilcar's garrifon,
being exhaufted with continual fighting, and not receiv-
ing their pay, plotted together to put the place into the
hands of the Romans : but Hamilcar difcovered and de-
feated their deCgn. However, they delivered up to the
confuls an advanced poft which they guarded, and en-
tered into their fervice. , This is the nrft time we read of
foreign forces in the pay of the republic, whofe armies
had hitherto confifted either of Roman citizens, paid by
the public, or of Italian allies, maintained by their rc-
fpedive ftates.

But now the fenate, being convinced that the republic
could never eftablilh her dominion in Sicily, fo long as
the Carthaginians were matters of the fea, turned their
thoughts anew to the equipment of a fleet, refolving to j „g^
try fortune a third time, how averfe foever (he had hi- Reman
therto been. They propofed to man their veflels with pef l>ui!t
hired troops from foreign countries, that, in cafe of new ^'^^'«f-
misfortunes, Rome might not fufFer fo great a lofs of her pri^^e
own citizens as fhe had formerly fuftained. The great ^ttmtns.
difEculty -was how to find money for fuch an undertaking,
the public treafury being quite exhaufted. On this oc-
cafion, the fenators gave to the reft of the citizens an ex-
ample of zeal for the fervice of their country. The moft
wealthy among them built each a quinqueremis at his .
own cxpence ; others taxed themfelves, and a galley was
fitted out at the joint cxpence of three or four : by thefe
means a fleet of two hundred quinqueremes was put to
£ea by private perfons, without any other burden on the
republic than that of undertaking to reimburfe the pri-
vate perfons, when ftie fliould be in a condition to defray
that expence. All the veflels that compofed this new ar-
mament were built upon the model of that light galley,
which had been taken from Hannibal the Rhodian ".

• The confuls chofen for the new year were C. Xutatius
Catulus, and A. Pofthumlus ; but the latter, being at the
i^ime time high-prieft of Mars, Caecilius Metellus, at this
time pontifex maximus, would not fuflFer him to exercife
any military funftion ; fo that he had the bare name of
conful. The republic, not thinking it prudent to .truft

s Poiyb. lib. ir cap. 60' Zon. lib. viii. cap. 6.

C C 4 the

39* 9*^ R^M Ft^oty,

ifbe command of her armies to one genenil : and beM{[

aware of the inconveniencies which would ari{e froto tb?

foo long abOence^ of the praetor, to whom it fell to fupplj'

|ihe place of the conful, created a fecond praetor, that

orie mi^t be at the head of the army, and the other re

Vr. of Ft fide at Rom^, for the adminiftratioh of jufttcc. One of

AntVchr ^^^^ pr«tors was to hear caufes between citizen andct

a 30, ' tizen, and the other to decide between citizens and fo-

p. C. y%. reigners ; whence the former was called pnetor nrbanus,

y I and the latter, praetor pcregrinu^. The two praetors chofc

their provinces by Ipt, and 'wcrc thcmfelvcs chofen, as

the coirfuls, in the comitia, by centuries *. Vakriuj

Falto was tjic firft praetor peregrinus* He embarked bn

board the new fleet, tp inake war together with tbc con-f

fefit^m ^"' Lwtatius in Sicily. They began the campaign with

fht^$» ^^^ ^^^S^ of Drepanum, andfoon made abreacVintte

mofu. wall with their engines, which battered the place day and

night. As the conful was mpuntipg tbe breach ^ttlc

head of his men, be received a dangerous wound in the

thigh ; being greatly beloved by the foldiers, tfccy all

haftcned to liis relief, apd, riving over the attack, carried

him back to the c^mp. Alter this accident, he did not

pu(h on the fiege with great vigour : but, being perfiiad-

cd that the Carthaginian fleet would foori appear, and

that a yiftory at fea would contribute much mpre thr^

lufatiiu the taking of a fingle town towards the entire coiii

rffihij to qucft pf Sicily, he turned all his thoughts to the difcH

viKture an pUning of hi$ ^en, and preparing tliem for a naval cflt

2^;;^'^' gagement. r r o

^ ^'^' He was not yet cured of his wp\ind, when news were

brought him, that a Carthaginian fleet t)f four hundred

fliips, under the command of flattno, had teen few *?

fea. This powprfi^l armament- was the laft effort of tw

African republic. Hannp had on board new levies?

arms, money, provifions, and all forts of ftores^ ^^

defign was, to to^cH at the port of Eryx before the vp

mans could liayc an account of his motions, ^^^/^J^i

fram thence in queft of the enemy's fleet, after be haa

unloaded his veffels, and taken oh board the iovittrot m

. troops, together with Hamilcar, whofe name he tnooM

would fill the Romans with terror. Lutatius, tfto^

' indifpofed, having caufed himfelf to be carried on boar^

|he praetorian galley, immediately ordered the fiect to ] .

f]}e f^uadron before Lilybaeum, j^nd fteq A?^ ^

f t,iv.ii|JRpit.l}t|.'xi3?.

dirffl!^

dlrtCtXY to the ifkinds calted JEMtes^ the place of raw
deivous for the enemy's fleet. He bad fcarce left Liiy-
tottih, when he defcried the Carthaginian fleet ofi* Hier a»
ihaping their courfe to Eryx ; and ordered the comman*
ders of bis veflTels to prepare for a 6attle. The wind wa^
then favourable for the Romati$ ; but it changed all oii a
fadden, and at the hmt time the fea begai^ to nin very'
high*' However, tht conful, after having been fohi^
time in fufpenfe, and undeternOiined what to d'oy refolveif
not to defer the engagement one moment. «* After all,
(faid he), we fliall have a greater advantage in fighting
with {hips that are heavy hden, than difadvantage in tlie
roughnefs of the fea. If Hanno carries his fleet to Eryx,
takes Hamilcar on board, embarks his brave mercenaries,^
and gets rid of thefe new recruits, the fuccefs will be •
more doubtful, and the vidory longer difputed." Upotf
diefe confifderations, Lutatius formed his line of battle,
and made direftly towards the enemy. As the Cartha*
gintans were on this occafion inferior to the Romans in
every thing, except the number <5f their (hips, the difpute
was foon decided. The Romans routed them at the firft TJkt Jt#«
dnfet. Fifty of the Carthaginian veflTels were funk, and mansgmm
feventy taken, with all the mariners and foldiers they had ^^j,^^
on board. The reft, by an uncommon inftance of good * -'^^
fortune, made their efcape ; for the wind, which had hi*
therto been favourable to the Carthaginians In their voy-
. age to Sicily*» change^ all on a fudden, and favoured
their efcape. After the battle, the conful ftfeercd his
courfe fo Lilyb^um, to difpofe of the money, arms, pro-
vifions, and the prifoners he had taken, who were at Icaft
ten thoufand in number. Such was the battle of the
^gades, which determined thfe fate of Sicily p.

Hamilcar was the firft who felt the efle£ts of this fig^
pal defeat. The conful Lutatius had no fooner difpofed
of his booty and captives, than he marched againft him,
and, in feveral flcirmiihes, Idlled above two thoufand of
his men | fo that the African, having no longer any hopes
pf fuccour, was forced to capitulate. The Romans, jjamUttm
plated with their late vi£):ory, infifted upon his pafling cafitulauu
under the yoke with his garrifon ; but he rejeded the
propofal with the utmoft indignation, protefting, that he
would rather fuflfer all extremities, than fdbmit to fuch an
indignity, or abandon a place with difgracc, which he •

^ad (o long defended ^ith honour* While he was treats

I ^f% Ub. h 9S>P> ^ ZoW> Vb- TiiL c>^ 17; Eutrop. lib. i.

Jto$H0 amd

CsrtAagi*

3^4 ^e Roman IT^wy.

iflg with the copful, he received full powers from bis M-
public to dd whatever he judged to be moil for her in-
^ereft; Being thus appointed mediator hetween Carthage
and Rome, he confideredv that Carthage was too much
exhaufted to maintain her conqueft? in Sicily s and there-
fore thought it more advifeable to yield the ifland by a
treaty of peace, than to be driven fiiamefully out. of it,
and at the fame time expofe Africa to the ravages of a
▼idorious fleet. For this purpofe, therefore, he fent de-
puties to Lutatius» who received them with great joy, be-
ing defirous to put an end to the war before his ponfol-
fliip expired, that his fucceflbrs might not have the glory
of iiniftiing a work which had coflt fo much blood and
labour.

Both parties being thus difpofed to purfue the fame end,
after fome flight difliculties, the conful drew up de fol-
lowing articles, while he lay before Eryx, as the terms of
Comditions. a peace between the two republics. " There ihail be
peace and friendfhtp between Rome and Carthage upon
the following conditions, if they are approved by the peo-
ple of Rome. i. The Carthaginians fliall evacuate all
the places which they have in Sicily, and entirely quit
the ifland. 2. They fliall in twenty years pay the Ro-
mans, at equal payments every year, two thoufandtwo
hundred talents of filver, (that i^ four hundred thirty-
feven thoufand two hundred and. fifty pounds ftcrJing.)
3. They (hall reftore the Roman captives and dcfcrters
without ranfom, and redeem their own prifoncrs* witk
money. 4. They (hall not make war upon Hicro, king
of Syracufe, or his allies." Thefe articles being agreed
on, Hamilcar furrendeted Eryx, upon condition that all
his foldiers fhould march out with him upon his paying
for each of them eighteen Roman denarii. Hoftageswere
given on both fides, and this long war concluded with a
truce''. The only thing now remaining was togettheic
articles confirmed by the, Roman people aflenibled in the
comitia, they being the fole arbiters of peace and war.
For this purpofe both Lutatius and Hamilcar fent deputies
to Rome. The republic, though overjoyed at the conful 8
fuccefs, was diflatisfied with the too cafy terms he had
granted the Carthaginians ; and tb^re/ofe- appointed tea
commiflioners to. treat .perfonallywi.t»h. Hamilcar, anddcr
• mand farther advantages. Thefej^ after having thorough^

ly informed themfeives of- the ftate of affairs, added tQ

q.Polyb. lib. i. cap. 6».
cap. ii. • ''" ^ • . * *•

Zonar, lib. vii, cap. 17*

Orof.lib.i^.

th?

3the Roman Hijiory.

tbe former articles two more ; namely, " i. Thatathou-
fand talents fhould be paid immediately, and the two
thoufand two hundred in the fpa^ e of ten years, at equal
payments. 2. That the Carthaginians fhouid quit all the
little ifiands about Italy and Sicily, and never more come
near them with ihips of war, or raifc mercenaries in tbofe
places." Neceffity obliged Hamilcar to confent to thefe
new terms; but he returned to Cartharge with an hatred
to the Romans, which he did not even fufFer to die with
him, but left as an inheritance to his fon, the famous
HannibaU It may be juftly faid of Hamilcar, that his
country had never yet produced a general equal to him in
valour and prudence. He always conquered as Jong as
his republic could fupport him, and only funk in the com-
mon ^misfortunes of his country.

Next year the confUl Lutatius, and the praetor Valerius,
who had aded as his colleague, were continued- in Sicily,
the firft in quality of proconful, and the fecond in that of
propraetor, while the two new confuls, Q^Lutatius Cerco,
and A. Manlius Atticus, marched an army into Hetruria
io quell a fudden, rebellion of the Falifci, who had aiFront-
cd a tribune of the people, and revolted. The two con*
fuls were therefore ordered to enter Hetruria, and bring
the Falifci back to their duty. The rebels did not confine
themfelves to the defence of their city, but, taking the
field, fought two pitched battles in the fpace of fix days.
The fucceis of the firft was pretty equal; but the fecond
turned fo much to their difadvantage, that they were
obliged to lay down their arms, and deliver up their city
to the conquerors, after they had loft fifteen thoofand
men. ^ Their capital, fituated on an inacceflible mountain,
^vas rafed ; but they were allowed to build a new city in
the plain ; their arms, horfes, part of their moveables^
and half their lands, were confifcated *. From Hetruria
the confuls returned to Rome, and from thence pafTed
over into Sicily to put the laft hand to the peace, which
was ratified by the folemn faerifice of a fow, and the mu-
tual oaths of the two nations. Thus ended the firft Pu-
nic war, the longeft and moft memorable which had ever
t>eeri waged till that time. It had lafted four-and-twenty
years, during which time the conquerors loft feven hun-
dred (hips, and the conquered only five hundred.
. The great affair at Rome was to determine the fate of
^icilyi the manner in which it fliould be governed, and

395

CharaBer
car*

The rr-

*volted Fo"

lifcifub^

dueM

The firft
Punic Tvar
ended^

* J^iv. in £pit, lib. xix*

the

^

39^ 72r JbmM Nl/bny.

Yr. of Fl« the emoluments which die rqiublic AonlcF drav f rom k
A**'ph ▼^u^^l^ ^ conqueft. The whole ifland; except the king-
it dom of Syracufc, was declared a Roman province, tote

U. el's 19. governed by Roman laws, and Rxrnian magiftrates. A
, prsetor was fent annually thither to be goremor and judge

Siiify wMdi in civil canfes, and a quaeftor to recdve the revenues of
Romam |||^ republic. Thefe revenues were ^ther fixed or e^al.
Z*'''^^'* The fixed were calkd tributes, and confifted of a ccrtwfl
fum of money» which the province was everf year to
' pay into tbe public treafury. The cafual were the tentbg
. of the produA (rf the lands» and the duties upoa mer-
chandize exported and imported* Certain officers, ealted
publicans, generall^r chofea out of the body of tbe Roman
knights, were appointed to levy both thefe forts of taxes;
and the latter fort were farmed by the publicans at a cer-
tain annual rent, which they coxmantly paid the re^Mic
at ail events. However, thefe fix'^ed revenues M not
hinder the Romans from often demanding of the pn)-
Tinces eltraordinary fupplies'of men, fliips, aad com.
There were now but two fovercigns in the whole iflasdj
Hiero, and the Romans'; and, as there reigned a perfed
union between them, the Sicilians enjoyed all the Vk&ap
of an uninterrupted peace.

Sicily being thus fettled in perfeft tnmquitityi tbe two
eonfuls, Lutalius Cerco, andlHanlins Atticus, tbe pro*
conful Lutatius Catulus, and the proprietor VaieriuS) re*
turned to Rome with their troops, to receive there the
honourable reward of their labours. The proconftil and
prppra:tor triumphed for tbe naval viStorj at the Mpi^
and the eonfuls enjoyed the fame honour for having van-
quiflied the Falifci in Hetrurisi.
ni pMc The joy of the people of Rome for their late profpcntf
j9y damped ^as much danfped by two dreadful misfortunes, whic^
^fwtfwr/. foiio^i^d clofc upon one another- TTie Tiber on a fed*
^ *•*'• den overflowed with fuch violence, as to overturn a gi^Jt
many houfes in the lower grounds ; and the water con-
tinued ftagnated fo long in the forum, as greatly to da-
mage the foundations of tbe buildings in that quarter.
After this inundation, a fire broke out in the uppcrcitfi
and thence fpread as far as the forum. Rome, faysLiff >
}oft naore wealth in one day than fbc had got by ma"!
viftories. The temple of Vefta was not exempted fro"
the common misfortune, and the moft ancient monwncnts
of religion would have been deftroyed^ had not C^abos

t 1x9, in Epit. lib* %\%n

Mctellusi

MeteH«i8» then pontifex maximusy ventured \&% lile to
fave them. He made his way through the flames, went
into the fan^uary where the palladium was kept, and
iaved it from the fire ; an a<9Jpn more celebrated in hif-
tory than the glorious vi6):ory which he gained over the
Carthaginians at the head of a confular army* One of
bis arms was greatly injiured in the atten^)t \ an^d be en*
tirely loft his eye-fight. This ber^Mcal afkion .procured
fcim a mark of diftin£lioni which had never before been
granted to any nian ; he was allowed to be drawn to
the fenate-houfe in a chariot ^ This year the tribes
were probably augmented tO' thirty^five, by the addi«
tion of the tribes Velina and Quirina. It is certain at
Jeaft, that from, this time the tribes were reckoned tabe
thirty-five, which number was never afterwards iacreafed.
The confular year was clofed with a cenfus, made by the
cenfors Aurelius Cotu, and Fabius Buteo;. and| unlefs
there be fome miftake in the cyphers, Eufebius reckons
up but one hundred ..and fixty thoufand citizens able to
bear arms. If his numbers are right, a prodigious mul-
titude of citizens mud have peri&ed by the inundation
and fire.

The new confuls, C. Claudius Centho and M. Sempro^-
nius Tuditanus, having no employment abroad, turned
their thoughts to the fecuring of their frontiers againft the
Gauls and Ltgurians, by planting colonies in theif netgh-
bo>urhood (K). The following confulfhip.of C. Mami-
lius Turintis and Q/^Valerius Falto proved an interval of
peace. The Romans were inclined to take arms anew
againft the Carthaginians, who, having feized fome of
their merchants Carifying arms and provifions to the re-
' volted mercenaries,' had made five hundred of them pri-
foners, and thrown fome of them into the fea; but they
were appeafed by a refpe£if ul embafly from Carthage^

• Plin. lib. vii. cap. 43. Val. Max. lib. i. cap. it.

397

Meulkt
/gaaliziS

, (K) In the firft year after the
Punic war Livius Andronicus,
the reformer ©t the Roman
ftage, appeared at Rome. He
introduced connefted fables af-
ter the Greek maooer, inftead
of the buffoonrics with which
the peojple to that time had been
entertained. He was the freed-
man of Marcus Livius Saljna-

planUd
mar GmU

ria.

tor, whofe children he had edu-
cated. His poetry was grown
bbfolete in Cicero^s time ; and,
in the judgement of that ora-
tor, would not bear a (econd
reading. Andronicus flourilh-
ed abont a hundred and fift^
years after the death of Euripi*
des and Sophocles, and fifty-
two after that of Menander.

and

39«

(hod MM'

dtrfianding
hitwetm
Rome and .

Schemis

fwmtd hy
HawuUar

The Roman Hiftory.

afi<! continued faithful to the treaty of peace, though tlia
city of Utica, which had declared for the rebels, would
have fubmitted to Rome, and the mercenaries, who had
feized Sardinia, invited them to take poffeffion of that
iflaiid (L).

Carthage, during her war with the revolted mercena-
ries, afFeS:ed to pay a great deference to Rome, and even
releafed all the Italian merchants, who had been taken in
carrying arms and proviiions to the rebek. The Romans
were fo well pleafed with this inftance of refped, that
they fent to Carthage, without ranfom, all the Cartha^
ginian prifoners, who were ftill detained at Rome, pro-
hibited their merchants all intercourfe and traffic with the
rebels, and allowed them to fupply the Carthaginians
with arms, provifions, and whatever they wanted *. Not-
withftanding the fmcere friendftiip which feemed to fub-
fid at this time between the two i^publics, Hamilcar had
no fooner, by his valour and condu£t, put an end to the
rebellion at home, than he turned alfhis thoughts to the
humbling of a republic whofe interefts were fo oppoiite
to thofe of his country. As Carthage was not then in a
condition to renew the war with Rome, he formed two
fcbemes, which, if wifely purfued, might have crufhed
the imperious republic, or at leaft brought her upon a
level with Carthage. The firft was, to extend the Car-
thaginian dominions in Spain, that his republic might be
able to raife within her own dominions a fufficient num-

^ Zon. lib. viit. cap. 17* Polyb. lib. i. cap. .S3.

j(L) About this time Ennius,
the famous poet, was born at
Rudes, an ancient city of Ca-
labria near Taventum. He
was the inventor of hexameter
vei-fc among the Latins, though
.the Greek was his mother-
tongue. The life of Scipio
Africanus, which he ^rote in
choreics, was his mafter-piece.
By this work he gained the af-
fection of the Cornelian family,
who fhewed their gratitude to
him even after his death, de-
poiiting his alhes in the fame
tomb with thofe of Scipio Afri-

canus, and ereding a marble
flatue to him near the ilatue of
that great commander. Be*
(ides the life of Scipio, he
wrote the hiftory of Rome in
eighteen books, recording in
verfe the events of which he
himfeif had been witnefs. His
poem was a hiftory in verfe.
The poet Naevius, who was
his contemporary, after having
made fome campaigns in the
firft Punic war, wrote the
hiftory of that war in verfe,
according to the taftc of thofe
times (i).

(0 Aul. Gcll, lib. iii.

ber

bcr of Forcfes to oppofe thofe multitudes of foldiers with
which Italy furnifned the Romans. The fecond was, to
educate his fon Hannibal in fuch a mannef, that he (hould
inherit his valour, his experience, and his hatred to the
Romans, and fteadily purfue his defigns. Before he
pafied the ftreights, known then by the name of the Pil-
lars of Hercules, in order to make war in Spain, he todk
an opportunity to infpire his fon, though but nine years
old, with his ovtf?ii fentimerits. At a folemn facrifice
offered to Jupiter, he took his fon by the hand, and,
leading him to the altar, aiked him, whether he was wil-
ling to attend him in his Spaniih expedition. The cou-
rageous boy not only confented to go, but conjured his
father by the gods prefent to form him to viftory, and
teach him the art of conquering. ** That I will joyfully

* do, replied Hamilcar, and with all the care of a father
who loves you, if you will fwear upon the altars, to be an
eternal enemy to the Romans*" Hanibal readily coiH- Hanmbal
plied with the motion-, and the folemnity of the cere- Z**''^''-' ^
moity made fuch an impreflion upon his mind, as nothing ^^f* ^'"'*
afterwards could ever efiace. He then firft imbibed that ^othi^/^
hatred for Rome which ended only with his life. maas.

In the following confulfhip of C. Manlius Turinus and Yr. of Fl.
Q^Valerius Falto, nothing memorable happened. Durin^g *>»»•
the confulate of their fucceflbrs, T. Sempronius GracchUs ^^^^ ^^*
and P. Valerius Falto, the Italic Gauls, called Bpii, who had ^j q* '^
been fubdued by the Romans before the firft JPunic war, *

threw off the yoke, and joined the Falifci in Hetruria.
The Ligures were alfo in motion, and feemed to threaten
the republic with an approaching war ; the confuls there-
fore divided their forces. Valerius, who marched againft
the Gauls, was defeated with the lofs of three thoufahd
five hundred men.' Upon advice of this defeat, M. Ge-
Tiucius Cipus> one of the prsetors, was difpatched from
Rome with a reinforcement for the conful. Valerius,
looking upon this appointment as a perfonal affront, re-
folved to conquer the enemy before the fuccours arrived,
or pcrifh in the attempt. Accordingly, he attacked the
Gauls with fuch fury, that he killed fourteen thoufand,
and took two thoufand prifoners. However, this vifkory
did not procure him a triumph, becaufe he had by his
rafhnefs expofed the Roman army to the danger of a fe-
cond defeat 5^. Sempronius, the other conful, gained

* a battle againft the Ligurlans ; but bad not time to purfue
his vidlory, being by the republic ordered into Sardinia.

1 Llv. Epit* lib, XX. Orof. lib. iv. cap. i». Val. Max. lib. v. cap. 6*

Thi«

This iitaiHi \iti, been formcrlT fubdued by tbe 1^Clb6^mi
but foon after returned under tne dominion of its ancient
mailers. The revolted mercenaries bad feized it, and
offered to put the Romans in pofleffion, in ordef to en-^
gage their afSftance. Rome made it then a point of bo^
nour not to fide with tbe rebels ; but this fcrupiilous point
of honour was of ihort duration* As this^ifland was of
great importance, and bad never been formalljr yielded to
the Carthaginians> the fenate thought they might joftiy
claim it by right of conqueft. They thecafore fent^ on
triding pretences, Semproniu8» with a fleets to take poC«
ieiCon of it. The. conful^ on bis arrival, acquainted the
Carthaginian commander, that if his republic did ncft im«
mediately withdraw her troops from Sacdinia, and relin«
quiih all pretenfions to that ifland, he would, in tbe
name of the fenate and people of Rpme, declare war with
Tw ^•"^ . Carthage. The Carthaginians, who had juft ended the
^^utrSar^ war with the mercenaries, were fo alarmed at this deda-
Smku ration of a conful at the head of an army, tbat they rea"

dily gave up all claims to Sardinia for ever. This renua-^
ciation did not fatisfy the conful ; be obliged them to de-
fray the charges of his armament, and pay the farther fum
0f twelve hundred talents : an inftance of extortion which
contributed to confirm Hamilcar in bis hatred to the Ro«
mans, and to render Hannibal inexorable in the wars
which we (hall foon fee him .carry on with great fpirit in
Italy*. ' ^

The new confuls, L. Cornelius Lentulus Caudinua and

(^Fulvius Flacctts, purfucd the war with the Gauls and

Ligurians, in which they were attended with fuccefs

while the two confular armies encamped together ; but

. the love of glory and booty ha /ing induced them to fepa«~

rate, Fulvius, who had entered the country of the Gauls

bordering on the Po, was obliged to continue in his m*

trench ment, and there pafs a melancholy and {hamefiil

. campaign, under continual apprehenfions of a furprizCi

The Ligu- Cornelius fucceedcd ^gainft the Ligurians neareft to He-

fioted^^'^ trjuria ; for in one a3ion he killed twenty-four tboafand

. of the enemy, and took five thoufand prifoners. For this

vi£lory he was honoured with a triumph K

The new confuls, P. Cornelius Lentulus Caudinns and

C. Licinius Varus, were obliged to take the field againft

the Cauls, whofe chiefs, depending on the. multitudes of

. men they had aflembled, and the expe&ation of a ftroi^

.reinforcement from the (5ther fide of the Alpsy demanded

s Polyb. lib. i« cap. S8, 89. Corn.,Nep< in Hannib. • Tab.

*Triumpb»

the

Tife Roman -Htjiofy. - 40I

tlw reftitution tjf Ariminum from the Romans. The con-
fulsi not having their troops complete, referred the affair
to th« fenate, and ih the mean while propofed a-truce to
•the Gauls, who readily confented to the propofal, upon the
news they received, that a formidable army of Tranfal-
J>ine Gauls, under the conduft of Atys and Galatius, two
generals, or rather kings, were in full march to join them.
This army was fo numerous, that it gave no fmall jealoufy
to the Italian Gauls, who thereupon turned their arms
againft thofe who were cothe to aflift them, killed their
two leaders, and put the whole body to flight. The ene-
tny having thus deJreated their own allies, Lentulus, with
One cortfular army brought both the Boii and Ligurians
to reafoft, depriving the former of a pfirt of their territory,
and taking fevcral fti-ong places from the latter. In the
niean time Varus was preparing to pafs into the ifland of
Ctoriica, which, by the fecret intrigues of the Carthagi-
Jiianis, had been induced to (hake off the Roman yoke.
The conful, not finding a fleet read/to tranfport his whole Chndlus
army, was forced to lend a fquadron before him under Giycws
the command fof that Claudius Glycias whp had been ^*' '*'•
formerly named didator in derifion. He had fince jhat ^^1^*^
time been honoured with feveral military employments,
and always diftinguifhed himfelf among the troops.
When he faw himfelf at the head of part of the confular
army, fwelled with ambition, he thought it would be
much to his honour to gain this ifland to the republic
, without bloodihed ; and therefore, without the confcnt
df the conful or fenate, he made a fhameful peace with the
Corficans. The conful, on his arrival, difannuUed the ^orjica
treaty, renewed the war, and fuibdued the ifland by J^^^^*^*
force of arms. Claudius was delivered up to the Cor-
ficans, whom he drew, faid they, into a bloody war.
by a fallacious peace. In which fentence the fenate had
Kkewife the farther view of preventing thp reproach which
'might have been caft upon the conful fo/haying made war
tipon a people who dfepended on the, faithful execution of
a treaty. , The Corficans had more honour than to treat
him with feverity : they fcnc him back to Rome, where
he was put to death in prifon ; and ihen his body, being
carried to the top of the fteps, called Seal as Gemoniae (M),

was

(M) The Gemoniae was a their execution. It w^ on

place appointed either for tor- the hill Aventinus, and there

turing criminals, or for re- were feveral fl:ep8 which led

ceiving their dead bodies after up to it ; whence it had the

Vol.. X, Dd nama

J

402

Thi Car-
thaginians
Jecretty
excttt thi
Sardinians
to ri*uoii i

hut Nicifj
tkiRo*

The Roman Hijlory*

was dragged by an iron hoot from thence to the Tiber,
into which it was thrown **.

The execution of Claudius did not appeafe the Corfi-
cans, who had been amufed by a treaty of peace, tha(
Rome might have the better opportunity of fubduing
them by a war. They communicated their difcontents to
the Sardinians, who. being influenced by the Carthagi-
nians, attempted to (hake off the Roman yoke. The re-
public had too much penetration not to fee from whence
the blow came, and was lefs concerned at the lofs of the
two iflands, than at the renewal of a war with a powerful
repdbfic i but the fcnators were all of opinion, that, if
it was really necefTary to come to an open rupture with
Carthage, war could not be declared too foon. Prepara-
tions were accordingly made at Rome, and all over Itaijr,
for beginning it with vigour. Carthage, alarmed at thcle
preparations, fent ambaflfadors to negotiate an accommo-
dation ; but the Romans anfwered them only with re-
proaches. At length (he difpatched ten of her principal
men for the fame end, among whom was one HannOi a
young lord of great fpirit and vivacity : enraged at the
haughty anfwers of the proud republic, be exclaimed,
with a lofty air, ** If you are refolved to break the treaty,
reinftate us in the condition we were in before it waj
concluded ; reftore us the cities we poflefled in Sicily
Thefe we paid for the peace, which, it was agreed, fliould
be perpetual ; otherwife you have made us pay very near
for this fliort truce. Equity ought to prevail over avarice.
Would not that trader be thought unjuft, who, after he
had renounced his bargain, (hould keep both the money
and the merchandize ?" This difcourfe filled the fenators
with confufion, who, being either really juft, or afiefting
to appear fo, difmifled the Carthaginian ambafladors with
the ftrongeft afTurances of peace ^

The new confuls, C. Attilius Bulbus, and T. Manlias
Torquatus, drew lots for their provinces. The former
continued in Jtaly, while the latter, by a few flight en-
gagements, recovered Sardinia, and made it tributary;

^ Val. Max. lib. vi. cap. 3. Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Zon. lib. riii.
c Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Orof. lib. iv. cap. t%.

name of Scalae Gremonise. The iron hook ; and, after they had
dead bodies of thole who died been fome time cx^fcd to pub-
by the hand of the executioner, lie view, thrown mto the Tj-
were dragged thither with an her (2).

(«) Vide Plin. lib. viii, cap. ^o, ,

* The Rman Hiftory* 403

feut without reducing it to the form of a Roman province.
And now, peace prevailing every where, the temple of Yr. of Fl.
Janus was Ihiit for the firft time (ince the reign of Numa *"!;.
Pompilius But this tranquility lafted only a few months. ^^^5^^'
The confuls for the following year, L. Pofthumius Al- xT-.C-c'is-
binus, and Sp. Carvilius, were obliged to raife new forces ,„
to aft againlt the Sardinians, Corficans, and Ligurians, The ampU
who had engaged, by mutual treaties, to aflift each other, ofjanm
The conful Carvilius was employed againft the Corficans, J^^^*
whom be foon reduced. The prator Cornelius made war
with the Sardinians 5 bat the bad air and water of Sardi-
nia produced an infeftion in his army, and he himfelf was
carried ofF by the contagion ; which accident would have
ruined the affairs of the republic here, had not Carvilius
tranfported his legions thither from Corfica. Upon his
arrival, the rebels ventured to oppofe him in the field ;
but the conful had all the advantage over them which
difciplincd troops have over confufed multitudes." The
Sardinians were defeated ; and, by one viftory, the whole
ifland was brought under fubjedion. The conful Pofthu- Sardinia
mi us, whofe province it was to reduce the Ligurians, hi- ''^"*^''-
ftorians infoim us, had all the fuccefs he could have
defired **. •

In this confulfliip the cenfors, obfer^ing the number of
citizens to be confiderably leffened, and imputing it to ■
men's marrying only with a view to inter^ft, and after-
wards deferting their wives, and carrying on unlawful in-
trigues with other women, obliged all the citizens to
fwear, that they would not marry with any other view be- Anewo&tk
fides that of encreafing the fubjefts of the republic. This concerning
oath raifed many fcruples, and caufed many ruptures be- ^^rri^ges*
tween hufbands and wives. Among the reft, one Carvi-
lius Ruga, a man of diftinftion, thought himfelf bound
by his oath to divorce his wife, whom he paffionately loved,
becaufe (he was barren. Accordingly he put her away, ^hefirjt
and married another. This is the firft inftance of a di- divorce.
vorce fince the foundation of Rome, though divorces were
allowed by the laws of marriage fettled by the firft kings.
In the fequel they became fcandaloufly frequent, as a cor-
ruption of manneis prevailed in the republic. And now
marriage-contradls were introduced, to fecure women's
. portions in cafe of divorce ®. This fame year a Vcftal,
named Tutia, was condemned to be buried alive for aa
intrigue with a flare ; but Ihc prevented the execution of tjac

' Liv. in Epit lib. xx. Orof. lib. iv. cap« ii« « Gel. lib. iv«
cap. 3. & lib. xvii. cap. sf •

D d a fentence,

404

Jmians and
LifurioMs
taif up
Mrms*

Mi/under^
Jtandin^
betnueem
Rime and
Carthage.

Anew

tribunal

htflUeftifl.

^be Rman H06fj.

fcntence, laying violent hands on herfelf. In the prefei^

confulihip, the poet Nxvius introduced the firft regidar
comedy after the Greek manner on the Latin ftage.

In the following confulate of M. Fomponius Mathof
and Q^ Fabius Maximus, furnamed Verrucofus, from a
wart or wen upon hi$ lip, the Sardinians and Ligurians
were once more in arms. It fell to Fabius's lot to make
war with the latter ; and he drove them out of the plain
country, and obliged them to take jQielter among the
Alps (N). As for his colleague Fomponius, he failed for
{Sardinia, where he found, that the frequent revolts of
that iiland were owing to the intrigues of the Carthagi-
nians, whofe ihips were continually palling from Carthage
to Sardinia and the other iflstnds, and inijpiring the people
wherever they came with a hatred to the Roman name. In
order, therefore, to found their fentlments, the fenate fcnt
an embafly to Carthage, under pretence of demaodingthe
fums they had ftlpulated to pay the Roman republic. The
deputies were ordered to add threats of renewing the war, is
cafe the Carthaginian fhips prefumed to touch at any port
belonging to the Roman ftate. The Carthaginians* fluihed
with the fuccefs of Hamilcac in Spain, not being moved
by thefe menaces, the deputies, purfuant to their inftruc-r
tions, prefented them a caduceus, the fymbol of peace^
and a little javelin, the emblem of war, faying, •* Take

Jour choice.'* The Carthaginian didatpr anfwered, that
e was ready to take which they fhould think fit to leave
him. However, this haughty anfwer did not abfolutelj
deftroy the treaties between Rome and Carthage, but
raifed fuch mutual diftrufts, as we (hall foon fee break
out into a flame. Fomponius gained fome advants^et
over the Sardinians, for which he was honoured with si
triumph ^

The Romans, at this time, iiiflitutcd a new tribunal
of juftice, at the mption of two tribunes of the people,
both ^butii. As the two pr«tors, who were often ob-
liged to take the field, could not difpatch all civil, afFairs^
which multiplied in proportion to the increafe of the te*^

i Tab. Triumph. Zon.Hb, viii. cap, i8.

(N) This is ^hat Fabiu«, mus from his great-grandfather

Fabius Rullus. In his infancy
he was called ovicula, or the
little Jbeefi on account of his
natural dociliiy, and fweetneft
of temper* .

whom we (hall foon fee reftor-
i^g, at the head of the Roman
army, the affiiirs of his diflreff-
ed country by his wife delays*
fie had the furname of Maxi-

(i) Plut. in FaU

public.

The Roman HiJIory. jp$

public, k was 6nadlcd, that three able and judicious men
ihould be chofcn out of each tribe, and form a new tri-
bunal, fubordiTiatc to the pnetor. Thefe new judges ^fhe ten*
were called centumviri, though they were one hundred tHi^*viri,
and five in number, and were divided into four courts
or chambers. The caufes, which fell under their cog-
nizance, were fuch as related to profcriptions, guardian-
fliipg, laft wills, inheritances, &c. This tribunal fub-
fiiici ever after in Rome; and the judges, though iii
after-ages ihcreafed to the number of one hundred and
eighty, ftiir continued to be called centumviri^.

In the following confulate of M. iEmilius Lepidus,
and M. Publicius Malleolus, Jlaminius, tribune' of the ' •

people, made a motion to pafs a law for diftributing a
fruitful country, lately taken from the Gauls, among the
poor citizens. The patricians, who had always oppofed
motions of this kind, united their ftrength to hinder the
pafling of this law ; but neither the threats of the con-
fuls, nor rtic intreaties of the fenate, nor the tears of old
Raminius, whom the patricians had gained over to their
party, could prevail on the trlbiine to defift from purfii-
ing his point. On the day appointed for propofing the
law to the people, he mounted the roftra,,and began to
harangtte the njiultitude with gr^at warmth ; but, while
lie was fpeaking, his father appeared, afcended the roftrai
and, taking the hot-headed tribune by the arm, ordered
him td follow him home. Flaminius, without pleading
either his dignity, or the aftual exercife of his office,
obeyed his father, and abandoned the bufinefs' he was fp '

intent upon, when it was almoft finiftied ; and, what is
mod extraordinary, not a murmur was heard in the whole
ajTettibty, which immediately difperfed' *». Afterward^
tfe'fribune Carvilius revived' it, and fucceeded : but the
difffibution of lands among the Romans, which had for
many years belonged to the 6auls, fo provoked that na-
tion, that they, began a war which afterwards endangered
Rome icfelf;

• In the following year the confuls, M. Pomponius Ma- ^^- ®^ ^
tho, and C. Papirius MaCd, finiflied the conqueft of. Sar- /^ntc*Chr,
dinii and Co/fica, which they reduced to the form of a 4,9,
Roman province. Pomponius continued in the new pro- U. C. 519.
vince, which confifted of both iflands, aU the next year, — —

s AxA, Gel. Jib. xvi. cap. 10. Pomp, de Orig. Juris. PHn. Jan.
Stb. V. Epift. Cic. lib. i. deOrat. ^ Va|. Max. lib. v. cap. 4*

Polyb. lib. ii. cap« 109*

D d 3 and

4o5 The Roman Hiftory*

Corfica fin4 governed it in quality of praetor. Paplrius, \pho had
wind Sardi' fubdued Corfica, returned to Rome, where he found,
ma made a ^\^^^ ^ diftator had been created to hold the comitiafor
provinci ^^efting new confuls. He demanded a triumph ; but not
having intereft enough to obtain it, he took a methoij en-
tirely new to do himfelf juftice, by marching at the head
of his victorious army to the temple of Jupiter Latialis,
on the hill of Alba, with all the pomp that attended trium-
phant viftories at Rome. There was no other alteration In
the ceremony, but that of wearing a crown of myrtle in-
ftead of laurel, and this on account of his having defeat-
ed the Corficans in a place where there was a grove of
myrtles. The example of Papirius was afterwards fot
lowed by a great many generals, to whom the fenate re-
f qfed triumphs \

. Next year, when M. ^milius Barbula, and M. Junius
Pcra were confuls, a new war fprung up in a kingdom
out of Italy. Illyricum, properly fo called, which bor-
dered upon Magedon and Epirus, was at this time govern-
ed by Teuta, the widow of king Agron, and guardian to
Oceafion «/ her fon Pinxus. The fuccefs of her Jate hufband againll
'*' TT ^^^ iEtolians had elated her to fuch a degree, that, i«-
TJrtMs. ^^^^ of fettling the affairs of her ward in peace, (he com*
"^ * mandcd her fubje61:s to cruife along the coaft, feize all the
{hips they met, take what places they could, and fpareno
nation. Her pirates had, purfuant to her orders, taken
and plundered many fliips belonging to Roman merchants;
and her troops were then befieging the ifland of Ifla iQ
^ the Adriatic, though the inh^itants were under thepro-
te£^ion of the republic. Upon the complaints of the Ita-
lian merchan^:s, and, in order to protefl: the people Of
Ifla, the feriate fent two ambaffaclors to the IHyrian ^ue<?%
JLiUcius and Caiu? CorUncamus, to denpLand, tl^at fce ^ou|4
reft rain her fubjefts from infefting the fea with pirJo^
She anfweied them haughtily, that fbe could only promife
that her fubjetts (hould pot for the fjutttre attack tht^^
mans in her name, and by p^itlic authority: but as lOf
any thing more, ^* It ip npt cuftomary with us,' (feid ^^'^
to lay reftraints on our fubjefbs 5 nor will we forbid tm
to reap thofe advantages from the fe^ which it 0^
them." " Your cuflorns then, (replied the youngeft ot
the ambafTadors), are very different fromour's. AtRomC
" . we make public Examples of thofe fubjefts who iDju|C
ptbers, whether at home or abroad. Teuta, we can, by

k Y^l* Max. lib. iii. cap. 6. Fa6. Capita

The Roman Hiftory.

our armS) force you to reform the abufes of your bad go-
vernment.** Thefe unfeafonablc threatenings provoked
Teuta, who was naturally a proud and imperious woman,
to fuch a degree, that, without regard to the rights of
nations, (he caufed the ambafladors to be murdered on
their return home.

When fo notorious an infraftion of the law of nations
was known at Rome, the people demanded vengeance ;
and the fenate, having firft honoured the manes of the
ambafladors, by erefling, as was ufual in fuch cafes, fta-
tues three feet high to their memory, ordered a fleet to
be equipped, and troops raifed, with all poflibJe expedi-
tion. Teuta, refleding on the enormity of her proceed-
ings, fent an embafly to Rome, afluring the fenate, that
fhe had no concern in the murder of the ambafliadors, and
offered to deliver up to the republic thofe who had com-
mitted that barbarous aflfaffination. The Romans, being
at that time threatened with a war from the Gauls, were
ready to accept this fatisfa£lion ; but in the mean time
the Illyrian fleet having gained fome advantage over that
of the Achaeans, and taken the ifland of Corey ra near
.Epirus, Teuta began to believe herfelf invincible, and for-
got the promifc fhe had made to the Romans ; fhe even
lent her fleet to feize on the ifland of Ifla, which the Ro-
mans had taken under their proteftion *.

Upon this frfcfli provocation, the confuls for the new
year, P. Pofthumius Albinus and Cn. Fulvius Centuma-
'lus, embarked for Illyricum, Fulvius having the com-
mand of the fleet, which confifted of a hundred gallies,
and Pofthumius of the land-forces, which amounted to
twenty thoufand foot, befides a fmall body of horfe.
Fulvius appeared V^ith his fleet before Corcyra in the
Adriatic, and was put in pofieflion both of the ifland and
city by Demetrius of Pharos, governor of the place for
queen Teuta. The fame governor found means to make
the inhabitants of Apollonia expel the Illyrian garrifon,
'and admit into their city the Roman troops. As ApoUb-
nia was- one of the keys of Illyricum on the fide of Mace-
don, the confuls who had aSed hitherto jointly, no fooner
law themfelvcs in pofleflion of it, than they feparated,
the fleet cruifing along the coaft, and the army penetrating
into the heart of the queen's dominions. The Andyseans,
Parthini, and Atintanes, voluntarily fubmitted to Pofthu-
mius, being induced, by the p^rfuafions of Demetrius, to

1 Polyb. Hb. ii. cap. 96-*-! oi. Appian, in Iliyr. Diod. Sic. in
£xcer£t. Zon. lib. viii*

D d 4 ihake

407

tkmbaffa-
dors ujjaf'
Jinattd.

Shefehus
on the
ifland 9f
IJfa.

The confuls
embark for

Taheffut^
ral-towfls*

4o8

The eondi*
tions of
peace hi*
fweett the
Rematf
and Illy*
rians*

The RoniM Hiftcry^

{hake, ofF the lUyrian yoke. The coaful, behig qmt m»
pofieffion of molt of the inland towas, Fctum.ed to the
coail, where, with the afllftai^ce of the fl«ct^ lie toob
many flrong places, among which was Nutria> a place of
great ftrength, defended by a numerous garrifon: fo that
it made a vigorous defence, the Komans having loft be-
fore it. a great many private men, feveral kgionary ^^
bunes, and one quaeftor. However, this lofe was re*
paired by the taking of forty lUyrian Teflels^. which were:
returning home laden with booty. At length the Romaa
fleet appeared before Iila» which, by Teuta's^ order, wa^
flill clofely befieged, notwith (landing the lofTes fhe had
fuilained. However, upon the approach of the Roman
fletst, the Illyrians difperfed^ but the Pharians, who
ftrved among them, followed the example of their coun^
tryman Demetrius, and joined t^e Romans,, to whom the
Iffani readily fubmitted.

Sp. Corvilius and Q^Fabius Maximus being raifed to tb&
confulate a fecond time, Podhumius was recalled from U-
lyricum, and refufed a triumph, for having been too pro^
digal of the Roman blood at the fiege of Nutria. His coU
league it'uivius was appointed to command the land-forces
in his room, in quality of proconful. Teuta^ who had
founded great hopes on the change of the confuls, retired
to Rhizon, and froni theace early, in the fpring fent aa
cmbafly to Rome. The fenate refufed to treat with her j
but granted the young king a peace upon the following
conditions: i. That he (l^ould pay an annual tribute to
the republic, 2 That he flioujd. furr0nder part of his do-
minions to the Romans. 3.' That. he (hould never fuffer
above three of his (hips of war at a time to fail beyond
LyfTus, a town on the confines of Macedon. and Illyricum,
The places he yielded to the Remaps in virtue of this
treaty, were the iflands of Cor<;yra, Ifla, and Pharos, the
city of Dyrrhachium, and the country of the i&tintanes.
Soon after this tranfa£i:ion» Teuta, either out of fiiame,
or compelled by a fecret article of the tro«^y> abdicated
the regency, and was fucceeded by I)emetriiis. Th^
proconful, on his return to Rome, was decreed a.triumph>
which he enjoyed on the te^nth of the kalends of the
month. Quintilis ^,

Before this foreign war was ended, the Gaul« were in
motion in Italy, and at the fame time the republic was
alarmed at the incredible progrefs the Gartb^ima»$ made

* Tab. Triumph.

ui

The Ronrmf Hifiory^ 40^

in Spain* Tbc fenate ther^fcre. thought k ntscdflaty to-
put a flop to their incieafe of dominion. To this end.
they fent a deputation to Cairthagje,. and at the feme tkaor
to Aidrubal, \Fho had Cu^ceedfid H^niicar in the com*
it^vid of the Carthaginian forces in Spain. Carthage^ \aa^ -
willing to give hei; rival umbrage^ agreed to the foUawing^
articles : i • That fbe (bould not e;xtend her eonquefts- be- A new

Snd the river Iberus; and, 2. Tba* Saguntttm^ a ci«y treaty with
tween the Iberus and that part of Spain which belonged J^^^^'
to the Carthaginians, (hould remain free '. gtataus.

The new confuk, P. Valerius Flaccus and M. Attilius Yr. of FL
^egulus, continued ina£Uve the grcateft part of their year, *«3*«
though the Gauls were raifing troops, and making extraor* Ante Chr.
dinary preparations for war. Rome feemed to be afrad- jj. c. ctt<
to oppofe herfelf to lb warlike a nation. At this time a *
prophecy, pretended to be found in the Sibylline books,
was fpread about Rome, importing, ** That the Gaula
and Greeks fliould one day make themfelves mailers of
it.'* The new confuls therefore, M. Vaierius MeflSila
and L. Apuftius FuUo, having confulted the pontifices,
to appeaftg the fuperftitious populace, caufed an tdi£k to
be publiibed by the decemviri, who had the care of the^
Sibylline books, commanding two Greeks, a man and a.
woman,, and. two Gauls, likewife a man and a woman, to
I^ buried alive in the ox-market. By this inhuman facii-
fice they perfuaded the credulous multitude,, that pfophee.y^
^was fulfilled, and that the Cauls and Greeks had taken
pofleiTion of Rome ". The difficulties, which fupcrfti-^
tion had raifed, being furmounted by this cruel, expe-*
dient, Rome raifed divifions among the Gaulsf and found
means to gain over to her party the Cenomani and Yene*
ti, two confiderable nations among them ; but this lofsi
the Gauls repaired with the new levies they made beyond:
the Alps, where, by their ambafiadors,. they, engaged the
Gsefatffi to joint them. The Geefatae^ according to Poly-
bius, were a very warlike people, aiidready to fight for any
station that would pay them ; whence they had the name of ^
Gsefata^, that is, tiwlings. The confuls Valerius and ^TkeRo'
Apuftius fpent the greater part of die year in raiiing troops ^^^^ ^^f^
for their fucceSbrs ; and indeed Rome had never bcforft ^^J^^armp
had fo numerous an army. AUthe nations of Italy, fub- againftths
je£k to the republic, were obliged to fend their quotas. Gaulu
We arc told by a refpe£table hiflorlan °, that the number
of forces Rcune raifed on this occarfioa amounted to eight

t Polyb. ibid. Appian. in Hifp. "> IJv.Epit. Hb.xxii.

Orof. lib. iv. cap. ix. Zoii. lib, vlii. cap, 19. ^ Bolyb. lib,

li. cap.xit— 1|^«

hundred

410

thiGauUi

fiat thi
JtomaMS.

JEmiliui
marches
mza'mft
tkim*

The Roman Hlftory.

hundred thoufand men. Of this incredible multitode
two hundred forty-^ight thoufand foot, and twenty-fix
thoufand fix hundred horfe, were Romans or Campanians.
Neverthelefs the Gauls, with only fifty thoufand foot,
and twenty thoufand horfe» began hoitilitiesi forced a paf-
iage through Hetruria, and took their route towards Rome*

In the mean time the republic named L. ^milius Papus
and C. Attilius Regulus to be confuls. The latter was fent
into Sardinia, to quiet fome commotions, while his col-
league took upon him the condu£l of the war with the
Gauls, who were now joined by the Gaefatx from the
other fide the Alpsy to the number of above two hundred
thoufand men, commanded by two kings, Concolitanus
and Anerccftus. The conful JEmilius, not knowing what
route the Gaefatx would take, encamped near Ariminum,
in order to prevent them from entering the Roman lands
by the coafts of the Adriatic Sea. At the fame time a
praetor, whofe name is not mentioned in hiftory, was fent
into Hetruria with a body of fifty thoufand foot, and four
thoufand horfe. In the mean time the Gaefat^e, havings
left the coaft of the Adriatic to avoid ^milius's army,
crofied Infubria, and joined the troops of their nation in
Hetruria ; whence this potent army marched ftraight to
Rome. They found means, to bring the praetor to a battle^
in which they killed fix thoufand of his men, and obliged
the reft to fly in confuGon to a neighbouring hill, where
they- entrenched themfelves, hut w^re the next day inveft-
ed by the Gauls, who attacked their entrenchments with
a fury not to be exprefled. The Romans, in this diftrefs,
defended themfelves with refolution, hoping that fortune,
which had hitherto efpoufed their caufe, would rcfcue them
out of the hands of fo cruel an enemy; and accordingly, an
unexpefbed accident delivered them from death or llavery.

The conful, ^milius, being informed that the Gauls
were in full march to Rome, had left his camp at Arimi-
num in order to cover the city. As he drew near Fsefute,
he received an account of the advantage the Gauls had
gained over the praetor's army,, and of the deplorable con-
dition-to which he was reduced. Upon this advice he
immediately commanded the legions to advance in good
order to the enemy's camp, while he himfelf led the ca-
valry to the foot of the hill, which the Gaulifh cavalry
kept clofely invefted. The Gauls were fd alarmed at the
unexpe&ed arrival of the confular army, - that they de-
camped in great confufion, in order to return home
through Infubria, and fecure the booty and wealth
they had ^mafied, Ip their margh they kppt along the

^ort

Th0 Raman Hiftory. 411

0iore of the Hetrurian Sea ; and \^miliiis, ftrengtfeening
his army with the remains of the praetor's troops, followed
them clofe, with a defign rather to harafs than engage
tliem ; but it luckily happened, that Attilius, having put
a fpeedy end to the troubles of Sardinia, had, on his re- ^^^y an
turn home, landed his army atPifa, and was now march- met by an*
ing along the fliore towards Rome, not expefling to find an other Ro-
, enemy. He was overjoyed when he learned the fituation **^ «r«pF.
of affairs 9 and, in order to intercept the Gauls, he drew
up his troops near Telamon, a uttle port in Hetruria,
making as wide 9 front as he could. With his cavalry he
pofted himfelf on an eminence, over which the enemy
muft neceflarily pafs. The . Gauls, imaginihg that this
body of Roman horfe was a detachment from iEmilius's
army, fent fome fquadrons to attack it. iEmilius knew
not that his colleague was fo near; he had only learned,
that he had left Sardinia, and was arrived at Pifa ; but as
foon as he perceived at a diftance the two armies engaged^
he ininiediately concluded, that Attilius was attacking the
enemy in front, and detached fome fquadrons to his re-
lief. Then the attack was renewed with more vigour than ^
ever. The conful Attilius, who diftinguifhed himfelf in Att'tVmt
a very eminent manner, was killed 5 and his head, ftuck ^''^-^^^
on the top of a lance, was carried through all the files of ^**«*
the enemy's army. But the death of this brave man prov-
ed of no advantage to them : one of his lieutenants took
his place, and the battle was contin.ued with the fame ar-
dour and refolution. While the Gaulifh cavalry was en-
gaged with that of the Romans on the top of the hill, their
infantry had time to form in the plain. As they were to
oppofe two confular armies, one of which was to attack
them in front, and the other in the rear, they difpofed
their troops fo, that one part of them faced the conful
^milius, and the other fronted the army which Attilius
had commanded. In the firft line, oppofite -ffimilius,
were placed the Gaefatse, and behind them the Infubres :
at the head of the other body were the Taurini, and be-
hind them the feveral nations of the Gauls, who dwelt
on both fides the Po. This fecond army faced the legions
which Attilius had brought from Sardinia, and turned
their backs to the other. By this difpofition the Gauls
fupported each other, and could neither fly nor retreat.

Before the aaion,the Gaefatae, obferving that the plain,
on which they were going to engage, was covered with
brambles and buflies, and fearing they might, by entang-
ling their cloaths, prevent them from ufing their arms

with

41* ^e Homan Hifiory.

Ifhe Goals with freedom, ftripped thcmfelves naked, and in tlwit

'^If ' manner advanced agamft the Romans, who were greatly

mnikgrtat f^^p^-fed at that fight. The attack began with great Siouts,

"^^ while the air, at the fame time, refounded with an infinite

number of horns and trumpets, which were mach ufed

by the Gauls. The Romans, who engaged the GadfatXt

kept at a diftance, and made a dreadful iTaughter with the

fhowers of darts they difcharged upon them. Naked as

they weie they kept their ground, till the greater part of

* thofe who fought in the firft line were either kifled or

wounded. Then the reft began to retire ; a circumftance

which occafioned fomc confufion, and encouraged thd

legionaries to advance, and attack them fword in hand*

The Gauls behaved with great refolution ; and though

their arms were inferior to thofe of the Remans, yet

*•' ^# they ftood the (hock, till the Roman cavalry which had

T'tuf^ been engaged on the hill, attacked them in flank. Then

^'^ the defeat of the Gauls was general j^ forty tboufand of

them were killed on the fpot, and above ten thoufand

taken prifoners, with Concolitanus, one of their kings.

Aneroeftus, the other king, and the moft experienced

commander among the Gauls, efcaped to a neighbouring

Till^e, where he l^id violent haiids on himfelf, as did

moft of the officers who attended him •.

After this vi£lory, ^milius, now fole commander of
the two armies, marched along the borders of Hetruria ;
and, eniering the territories of- the Boii, gave up that
fruitful country to be plundered by his foldiers. Wheil
tftey were loaded with booty, he began his march to
Rome. As he pafled through Hetruria, he reftored to the
owners all the plunder the Gauls had taken from them.
He entered Rome in triumph on the third of the nones of
March *, and as his viftory was one of the moft important
the republic had ever gaii^ed, his trilmiphal proceffion was
one of the moft pompous and magnificent. The trium-
phant viftors generally ftripped the captives of their i?iiiitary
ornaments 5 but the Gauls were fufFered to appear in their
belts, in derifion of the vow they had made not to quit
them till they were upon the Capitol ; and there they were
taken from theni, amidft the hitfes of the people.
Thimw However, this defeatdid not compel the Gauls to fub-

€o»fuls ftnt mit. The republic, therefore, nominated two com-
into the mandcrs of great experience, who had been both confuls
^ikt'cuuls ^^^^^^i ^^ hopes they would finifli this important war.

o Polyb. lib. ii. i»o^ia». Diod, Sic. lib. xxv. Fior. lib. i. Zooar.
liU viii. cap. 20,

Thefc

The Roman Hi/iofy^ 41 j

Thefe were T. Manlius Torquatus and Q^ Fulvius Flac*-*

CU8 ; but they performed nothing worth mentioning.

Their marches being retarded by violent rains, they could

not pafs the Po, as they deGgned ; beiides, a plague in

their army not only kept them in a ftate of inafiion^ but

prevented them from returning to Rome attheufual time j

(o that it was neceffary'to create a di£bator, who was the

famous Caecilius Metellus, to hold the comitia in their ab-

Cence, for a neweledlion of confuls. C. Fiaminius Ne*

pos and P. Furiiis Philo were chofen. Theiie were the

firft Roman generals who paffed the Po ; but they were fo .

tcrri6ed at the appearance of the Infubrcs, whofe country

they intended to invade, that they entered into a treaty

with them, and, repaffing the Po, took refuge among

their faithful allies the Ccnomani. Having rambled about

thofe unknown regions for fomc time, they rcfolved to

make another attempt upon Infubria ; but the Romans

being at this time much frightened with prodigies, the *^ 0«|A&

augurs declared that there muft have been fon;ie defeft in *^^J^^ ^*

the cleftion of the confuls. Upon this intimation the' fe- ^^^ and

nate immediately difpatched a courier, with a letter, cdm«- abdicatt.

manding them to return to Rome and abdicate*

The confub, who were then in fight of the enemy, think*- The confuh
ing a retreat through fo many nations, whofe fidelity was rejolvtfirfi
doubtful, might be attended with dangerous confequences, !i'*f^^l
refolved not to open the letter till after the bafttle. Tte * ^*
conful Fiaminius fcems to have taken the whole command
tipon himfelf j for no hiftor ian makes mention of his col-
league Furi us in dcfcribing the aftion. As the Ropians
were inferior to tjie enemy in numbers, the conful dc^
ligned at firft to reinforce his army with thofe Gauls who
were in amity with the Roman people, and ferit orders to
them to join him ; but upon their arrival he confidcred,
that it was a dangerous thing to truft thofe auxiliariesy
who might, in the heat of the a£^ion, out of companion
for their countrymen, defert the Romans, and even turn
their arms againft thenu Upon this confideration he re-
folved not to truft them in an affair of fo great importance,
and therefore ordered them to pais the river Addiia ; a
motion which they had no fooner made, than he caufed
the bridge to be broken down, and, by thefe means, a«
the river was not fordable, prevented them from fiding
with the enemy, fince he could not refolve to truft them
as friends. This was the only prudent ftep the conful
took, cither before, or in the time of the a^ion j for he
drew up his men> not after the Roman manner^ but fo

clofe.

^i^ flbe Roman Hiftoty.

clofc, that the whole artny fccmed to be one phalanif $
^Aetru' hefideshe pofted the laft line fo near the Addua, that, if
dtntcon- ^^1 h^id been preffed, they would have been forced into
dmflofthi the river; but the (kill and management of the legionary
tnlmMis, tribunes made amends for the conful's imprudent conduS..
Thefe had obferved, in their former battles with the
Gauls, that they made but one furious attack, after which
their fire abated ; and that their fwords were only fit for
cutting, and eafily bent, fo that, if they had not time to
fet them ftrait again with their foot on the ground, they
foon became ufelefs. The tribunes, therefore, took two
precautions, which determined the fate of the day in their
favour. They diilributed among the foldiers of the firft
line the javelins ufed by the triarii, which were a kind of
halberts, ordering them to prefent the points of their
javelins to the enemy, and keep them at fuch a diftance
as to prevent them from making ufe of their fwords.
The tribunes alfo commanded their men to throw down ,
their javelins, and, clofing with the enemy fword in hand,
ftab them in the throat and breaft. To thefe orders the
« Romans owed the viflory ; for the Gauls having, in the
beginning of the attack, blunted their fwords againft the
long javelins of the Romans^ the latter no fooner per-
ceived that their ardour began to cool, than they fhortened
their fwords, and clofing with the enemy, fo as to leave
The Infu' them no room to raife their arms, ftabbed them without
bres di- running any danger, the fwords of the Gauls having no
Jtattd, points. Nine thoufand of the enemy were killed upon
Yr. of Fl. ^^ ^P^** ^"^ feventeen thoufand taken prifoners. Thus,
a, 37. notwithftanding the bad prognoftics, and the orders of^hc
Ance Chr. fuperftitious fenate, a complete viftory was gained, though
»ii. it ^as rather owing to the conduft of the fubalterns than
y* ^^^' to the fkill or prudence of the general p.

After the adion, the confuls opened the piacket, when
Furius, who perhaps had declined the command during
the aftion, out of refpeft to the fenate, was for immedi-
Fiarninius ately obeying the order ; but Flaminius, thinking a fuc-
ravages cefsful z6X of difobedience more honourable than a blind
Ujubria, ^^^ timorous fubmiffion, was for purfuing the advan-
tages of the viftpry ; which he did accordingly, enriching
his foldiers with booty, while his colleague continued in-
active, waiting to join him, when he fhould return from
his incurfions into Infubria. At length Flaminius re-
joined his colleague, and they returned to Rome toge-

p Polyb. lib. ii. cap. 110^121. Oroft lib. iv. cap. 13. Plut ia
Marcel. Zon* lib. viii. cap. so.

thcr,

The Roman Hjflory. 415

thcr, where they mdt with a- very cold reception from the
fenate and people ; but the troops of Flaminius, whom g^th tim^
he had enriched with the fpoils of the enemy, prevailed fub ko-
upon the people to grant both the confuls a triumph, fincc nourtd
the victory had been gained under the aufpices of both. '^^Jti^
However, the fenate obliged them to abdicate immedi- '" * ^ •
ately after ; fo that the republic fell into an interregnum,
when the centuries chofe M. Claudius Marcellus, one of
the greateft men Rome ever produced, and Cn. Cornelius .
Scipio, to the confulate. They had fcarce entered upon The Infu-
their office, when the Infubres fent ambafiadors to Rome, bresha^u*
to beg a peace upon any terms : but the fenate having, ^t ^^g^y^^m
the inftigation of their new confuls, difmiffed their depu- plJg^^^^
ties with a refufal, they refolved to make their laft effort; ter Italy "
and accordingly took into their pay thirty thoufand Gx- agmim.
fatse, who, palling the Alps, entered Italy, under the
command of their king Viridomarus. Early in the fpring,
the confuls pafled the Po, and opened the campaign with
the fiege of Acerrae, a place near that river. The Gauls,
who were now ninety thoufand ftrong, in order to make
a diverfion, and oblige the Romans to raife the fiege they
had undertaken, pafTed the Po, and entering the Roman
territories, invefted Calftidium, a city placed by Plutarch
in Cifalpine Gaul, but by Livy in Liguria Montana.
Upon intelligence of this motion of the enemy, Marcel-
lus, with two-thirds of the cavalry, and about fix hundred
of the light-armed infantry, haften^d to the relief of the
place. The Gauls, receiving intelligence of his approach,
raifed the fiege, and marched in battle-array to meet
him. Marcellus drew up his fmall army with great (kill,
and advanced leifurely, in order of battle, againft the
enemy. When the two armies drew near each other, Vi-
ridomarus advanced before his troops, and challenged the
Roman general to fingle combat. Marcellus readily ac-
cepted the challenge ; fo that both parties, leaving the
field free for the champions, retired to wait the iffue of
the combat. Marcellus, rufliing upon the king full-fpeed,
pierced his breaft-plate with his lapce, and gave him a
deep wound. Then fpurring his horfe with great vio- ^^^^J^^ .
Icnce againft that of his adverfary, he made him recoil, t. ft^
rear, and throw his rider, whom he foon difpatched with cJf^Mt^
repeated blows. The Gaefatae being diflieartened by the fmgU ««-
death of their leader, the Romans charged with great bau and
fury, and put them to flight. Thus a handful of Romans ^•^^ *^
defeated a numerous army of Gauls, and obliged them to ftuj^^ *

flielter

4ii The Rpnum Hiflory.

Aeiter tTiemfeires in die woods and foteftft of tl^k own
country ^.

During the abfence of Marcellus, Acerrse had ben
' taken by his colleague, who from thence had marched to
inreft Mediolanum, the lai^geft, ricfaeft, and mod populous
city of inftibria ; bot he was more clofely befieged by the
Gauls, than Mediolanum was by him. Upon the ar-
nval of Marcellus, the fcene changed ^ the Gsefatie re-
lived with precipitation, repafled the Alps, and left the
inhabitants of Mediolanum to the mercy of the con-
querors* The city immediately furrendered at difcretioQ,
as did alfo Comum, another city of great importance.
Thus all Italy, from the Alps to the Ionian Sea, became
Ufuhrim entirely Roman. Infubria and Liguria were now made
MiJUgM" one province, and called Cifalpine Gaul, which was go-
ria madt ^emed by a praetor fent annually from Rome. In order
m Roman ^^ j^^^p ^j^^ conquered Gauls from revolting, two Roman
ffvtnee. ^QiQ^jes were fettled at Cremona and Placeiitiai on the
oppofite banks of the Po.

Marcellus was decreed at Rome an extraordinary tri'
iimph, for having conquered the Infubres and the Ger-
mans '. This is the firft time we find the Gennans
mentioned in the hiftory of Rome. Polybius, indeed,
places the Gadatae on the banks of the Rhone, 5 but other
writers teU ns, that they inhabited the countries bordering
7ki third on the Rhine. Marcellus, in his triumphal proceflion,
wpima carried on his fiipulders the rich armour and fpoils of Vi-

tpoUa. ridomarus, and dedicated the third and laft opifflafpolia
to Jupiter Ferctrius. Part of the rich fpoils taken on this
occafion was fent to king Hiero, who was yet living, anJ
a gold cup, made out of them, to the temple of Apdta
at Delphi. Cornelius did not receive the honours of a
triumph, but was continued in the new proviftce, in ^'^'
lity of proconful, to regulate affairs in that quarter.

The new confnls, M. Min^icins Rufus and P. Come-

Bos Scipio Afina, were ordered to make war upon tec

IfirlacoM' Iftiia^ns, for having taken fome Roman (hips. All Kw

futred. ^^j reduced in one year's time, though fomfe writers tell

us, that the reduftion oif it ccrft the conquerors a ^^

deal of blood '.

During the pnefent confulate, news were brought^
Bome of the death of Afdrubal in Spaift ; which gwc »«
Romans great concern, becaufe he had been ever m^

q Plut. in Marcel, r Tab. Triumph. « Orof Jib* »»• ^P* ''
2onan lib. vii. cap. ss. Li v. £pit. lib* xx. . /^

.^

Tk Roman tiiftory. 417

ful to his treaties, and the republic thought {he had much
more to fear from the bold and enterprifing genius of
young Hannibal, who was appointed to fucceed him, jifdrubal
though at that time not above twenty-fix years of age. fucceeded
The firft expedition of this young warrior confirmed the ^^«»«-
Romans in their fears. In his firft campaign he made
war upon the Olcades, a people bordering on the Iberus \
and gave reafon to believe, that he would foon pafs that *

liver, contrary to the treaty. Althxa, and feveral other
cities in that neighbourhood, fubmitted to him : howi
ever, as Rome had yet no reafon to declare herfelf his
enemy, flic turned her arms another yray. Demetrius ojf Demetrius
Pharos, on whom the republic had heaped many favours, of Pharos
feeing the government of Ulyricum lodged in his hands, p^^o^okes
and the Romans engaged in a troublefome war with the ^^* ^^'
Gauls, had defpifed their orders; and ailing, not as re- ^^"'*
gent, but as king of Ulyricum, had obliged the Atintanes
to renounce their alliance with Rome, and come into his
meafures ; nay, he even ventured, contrary to the treaty,
, to fend fifty (hips of war beyond the Lyflbs, to pillage the
Cyclades. Complaints being brought to Rome from all
parts, the new confuls, L. Veturius Philo and C. Luta-
tius, would have immediately fet fail for Ulyricum, if
they had not been obliged to abdicate, upon fome defd£b
found in their eledlion. They were fucceeded by M,
^milius Lepidus and M. Valerius Lsevinus ; but the year
being too far advanced to begin the expedition, it was
poftponed to the next cbnfulfliip. This year ended with
a cenfus, by which the number of Roman citizens fit to
bear arms appeared to be two hundred fcventy thoufand ^

two hundred and thirteen. At the time of the cenfus, all
the libertini, or freedmen, who lived difperfed among all
the tribes, and occafioned great difturbances in the city,
were confined to four tribes ; to wit, the Efquilina, the
Falatina, the Suburrana, and the CoUina '.

And now both confuls, M. Livius Salinator and L. Yr, of Fl.
jSmiiius Paulus, embarked for Ulyricum, and opened the aH*-
campaign with the fi^ge of Dimalum, a city of importance -^"^«^ Chr.
in that country, which Demetrius had fortified with fo u. c cai.
many works, that it was deemed impregnable. How- *•

ever, the Romans, by furprifing eflbrts, in the fpace of An army
feven days, took this formidable bulwark, by which the fif^^ again/!
regent pretended to fcreen himfelf from the vengeance' of ^^^*
Rome. Their next attempt was upon Pharos^' an ifland

t Flor. in Epit. Li?. lib. xx.

Vol. X. £ e in

,4i8 S'be Roman Hiflofj.

in the Adriatic Sea, the birth-place of Demetrios. Hefe
he had aflembled the flower of his troops, looking upon
this ifiand and city as his laft refuge. As the Roman
fleet had two confular armies on board, one was landed
in the night, with orders to conceal themfelves in the fo-
refts, and behind the rocks, till the fignal was giveoi
Then the fleet appeared off Pharos in open day, in ap-
pearance to land forces. Demetrius marched out of the
town at the head of his troops, to prevent the defccnt;
and then the. legionaries, leaving their ambufli, marched
filently, and feized an eminence between the city and the
port.^ Demetrius endeavoured to diflodge them ; but Ac
Romans on board the fquadron having made their de-
fcent, the Ulyrians were invefted on all fides, and foon
difperfed. Demetrius made his efcape to Macedon,on
*The latttr board a veflTel he had kept ready for that purpofe. The
r^td^ city of Pharos "was taken, plundered, and rafed; fothat

Rome was now the fecond time miftrefs of Illyricuffl)
which, however, (he did not reduce to the form of a pro-
vince, having fome compafiion for the young king Pin«aSj
who had been brought into thefe troubles merely by tbc
fault of his guardians ". The confuls, on their return to
Rome, were accufed before the tribes of having applied
^ to their own ufe great part of the fpoils taken from tkc
enemy, and of diftributing the reft partially among tkc
foldiers. ^milius was acquitted; but his colleague Sa-
linator was condemned by all the tribes, except the tribe
M%cia \ an aflront which he could not brook, and there-
fore appeared no more in public, but retired to ahoufe
he had in the country, and there led a folitary life, till
the calahiities of his country brought him into aflioQ
again. When he was afterwards cenfor, he deprived aU
the tribes, except the tribe Msecia, of the right of fuf-
frage, and all the privileges of Roman citizens ^ (0)>

• Zon. lib. viii. cap. »o. * Auft. V/t. Vir. IHuft. Front.
Strat. lib. iv. cap. i. Liv, lib. xxix. cap. 37.

(O) In this coufulfhip, one dition ; but the Peloponnefiafl

Archagathus of Peloponnefus cured all forts of wounds m*

introduced the art of fureery regular way ; on which f'

into Rome. Till his time, count he was honoured witj

every one had his family re- the right of cItizenOiip, ^

ceipts, as Pliny calls them 'i), had a houfe built for him ^

" conveyed down to him by tra- the cxpenceof thepublic;'>

^ , (1) Plin. Jib.xxixt'cap. I. ^

i'be Roman Htftory.

^ tViile the Romans were engaged in the Ulyrian waf,
ilannibal profecuted his conqueffs in Spain. The Vac-
caei, the Olcades, and the Carpetani, had attempted to
oppofe his progrefs with an army of a hundred thoufand
men ; but that brave commander had defeated them by
his fuperior fkill in war, . and obliged theih to fubmit.
Elated with this fiiccefsi he advanced, at the head of his
^ army, into the territory of Saguntum, and, contrary to
the late treaty between Rome and Carthage, laid fiege to
that city. The Ronian fenate difpatched two aihbafladorSj
P. Valerius Flaccus, and Q^Bebius Tamphilus, to Hari-
nibal, with orders to proceed to Carthage, in cafe the
Carthaginian general refufed to coniply tvith their requeft.
They were fcarce landed, wheii Hantiibal declared, that
lie had not leifure to give audience to ambaffadors : hpw-
ever, he admitted them at laft, and, in arifwer to theif
remonftrances, told them, that the Sagtintines had drawn
their misfortunes on themfelves, by cbmihitting hoftilities
againft the allies of Carthage ; and at the fame time dc-
fired the deputies, if they had any complaints to make df
him, to carry them to the fenate of Carthage. However,
the artful Carthaginian immediately difpatched to Car-
thage fome friends, in whom he could confide, to give
the fenate favourable prepoffeffions with relation to his ert-
terprize upon Saguntum. He then returned* to the at-
tack of that city, which he had intermitted for fome days,
in order to refrefli his troops. The Saguntines are faid
to have defended themfelves for eight months with fur-
prifing bravery ; and, when they could refift no longdr,
many of them burnt all their richeft efFefts, then (hutting
themfelves up in their houfes, fet fire to them, and perifli-
cd with their wives and children in the flames T.

The Roman ambafladors arriving at Carthage, found
the fenate divided into two fadlions ; the Barcan, of which
Hamilcar Barcas> the father of Hannibal, had been the
head, and that of Hanno, which confided of the^oldeft
fenators, and wifeft men in the republic. The ambafla-
dors, after having complained to the fenate of Hannibal,
demanded, that he fhould be delivered to the Romans> to

y Liv. lib. xxi. cap. 14.

as he ufcd to make large ind- mans gave him the name of
fions, in order to cure wouods Butcher, which foon brought
with more ceruinty, the Ro* hi8profcflioniniodifrepute(3)^#,

(t) Plio* lib. xxix. cap. i«

£ e 2 be

419

Hanniiai
guntum.

RamM
cmbaffa*
dnrsf§ni tt
QarthngU

Vao Tbe Roman Utftory.

Be punifhed according to his deferts ; and at tlie (asie
time declared, that Rome would confider the refufal of
fo juft a demand, as a public approbation of the infrac-
tion of the treaty, and tbe deftru^ion of Saguntum. It
feemed both cruel and fhameful for the Carthaginians to
deliver up to his implacable enemies a young conqueror,
who was the glory and hopes of his nation. However,
Hanno, in a warm fpeech, prefled the fenatc to gifc the
Romans the fatisfa^lion they required*, but the Barcai^
fadion oppofed this motion, and being more numerous,
prevailed. A commifEoner, expert in negotiations, was
appointed to difcufs the affair with the Roman ambaffa-
dors, and to anfwer their complaints ^ but, after federal
conferences, in which the African negotiator ufed all the
chicanery and evafions poffible to colour the proceedings
of Hannibal, the ambaffadors renewed their demand be-
fore the fenate; and, to prevent endlefs difputes, the chief
of the ambaflador$i having made two folds in his robe,
fjid, addreflmg himfelf to the fenatc, *' On one fide is
peace, on the other war ; choofe which you pleafc."
The prefident of^ the aflembly anfwered, *^ We will
Warii" choofe neither; give us which you pleafe." ** Take war
tlarid. then,*' replied the ambaflador. At which words the Bar-
can faftion cried out with joy, ** War, war * !" A fatal
declaration, which brought both nations to the brink of
ruin.

CHAP. XLI.

T[he Hiftory of Rome^ from the Beginning toth
End of the fecond Carthaginian War.

SECT- L

ffirom the Commencement of the fecond Carthaginim W^
to the retaking of Saguntum.

rry H E new confuls, P. Cornelius Scipio and T^

V Sempronius Longus, had fcarce entered upon theif

oflice, when the ambafladors returned to Rome. The

account of their embafly, and the news of the i^^

» Liv. Ub, xxL cap, li. '^

• ^ tl08

Thf Roman Hiftory* 42!

^ - ' f

tion of Saguntum^ left the fenate no room to deliberate
about war or peace. The confuls were therefore ordered
to draw lots for their refpcdiive provinces. Africa fell to
Sempronius, and Spain to Cornelius Scipio. The former
-was direfted to pafs into Sicily, aflemble all the troops ,
in that ifland, from thence fail to Africa, and begin hof-
tHities in that country. Cornelius was commanded to go
into Spain, and ufe all poflible means to prevent Hanni-
bal from entering Italy. Six legions were raifed, amount- ittvits
ing to twenty-four thoufand foot, and eighteen hundred made for a
horfe: and, among the feveral nations in Italy fubj eft to 'war with
the republic, four thoufand horfe more, and forty-four ^^^^^^£'*
thoufand foot. Rome equipped a fleet of two hundred
and twenty quinqueremes, and twenty other light veflels.
Two legions, confifting each of four thoufand foot, and
three hundred horfe, with fourteen thoufand foot, and
one thoufand horfe, of the allies, were put under the
command of Cornelius 'Scipio, who was to tranfport them
on board a fleet of fixty quinqueremes to Tranfalpine
GauL Two legions, with fourteen thoufand foot, and
fixteen hundred horfe, of the allies, were leYt in Italy,
under the command of the praetor L- Manlius, to keep
Cifalpine Gaul in awe. . As for the coniul Sempronius,
who was defigned for Africa, his army confifted^of two
legions, fixteen thoufand foot, and eighteen hundred
' liorfe, of the allies. Thefe troops were put on board a
fleet of a hundred and iixty gallies, and twenty lights
veflels.

Before the arrival of Sempronius in Sicily, the Cartha- ^^^ q^,
ginians had fent out a fquadron of twenty fail to plunder thaginiant
the coafl:s of Italy ; but thefe (hips being difperfed by a flundir th$
iiorm, king Hies^, who happened to be then at Meflana -^^^fi^^f
with his fleet, had detached part of it, and taken fome of '^•'*
them. The prifoners informed him, that Carthage had
equipped another fquadron of thirty-five gallies, with a
defign to furprifc Lilybaeura. This intelligence the king
immediately communicated to JEmilius, praetor of Sicily,
who failed with his fmall fquadron to join the Syracufan
fleet, in order to defend the threatened city. The Car-
thaginians finding, upon their arrival, both fleets riding
at anchor before the mouth of the harbour, did not attempt
to enter it, but, keeping at fome diftance, drew up in
line of battle. The Romans and Syracufans accepted Defeatid
tlhe challenge ; fo that an engagement enfued, in which ly the ifa»
the Carthaginians were defeated, with the lofs of fevcn »«««»^
&ips. Seventeen hundred of their mea were taken c^^'^^

Ee3 prlfoncrsi ^^

4*? The Roman Hijtory.

prifoncrs, and a great many 4cilled in the aflion. The
Romans did not lofe a galley, and had but a very fmall
number of men killed. The king, on his return to Met
fana, finding Sempronius there, went immediately m
board the conful's ftiip, embraeed him tenderly, and
aflured him, that he ftiould continue the fame affeftk
for Rome in his old age, which he had always fliewn in his
yo^tb \ nor did he limit his good will to profeffions onlyi
ne cloathed the legionaries, and the crews of the Roman
ihips, at his own expence, fupplied the whole army with
corn, and then fet fail with the conful for Lilybsom,
where they parted with regret *.
Jlf#/f/4 Sempronius, from Lilybaeum, fleered his courfe to the

Je'wdhy ifland of Melita, fituajed between Sicily and Africa; and
^i!^V -^ "° fooner appeared before it, than Hamilcar, thi Car-
thaginian governor, furrendered the ifland, the city, and
the garrifon. But in the mean time the Carthaginians,
Jiiaving made a defcent on the coafts of Italy, Sempronius
was preparing to drive them fi^om thence, when news
arrived, that Hannibal had pafled the Alps, and at the
fame time he received an order from the fenate to retnra
in all hafle to Italy. Leaving, therefore, the prxtor,
iEmilius, in Sicily, with a fufScient number of troops
and fhips to defend the ifland, he went on board his fleet,
and entered the Adriatic Sea^ with a defign to land at
Ariminum \

Hannibal, being authorieed by the fenate of Carthage
Xo aft againfl the Romans as he thought proper, refolved
not to wait for their coming to attack him in Spain, but
to carry the war into the heart of their dominions. With
this view he hafi, during the winter, fettled afiairs in
Spain. He appointed his brother Afdrubal governor of
that country in his abfence ; and, in order to put hifflia
^ condition to pppofe any defcents there, he left him fifty
quinqueremes, four quadriremes, and five triremes. A?
to the land-forces, he did hot leave his brother to the
piercy of the Spaniards, but tr^nfported thirteen dioofand
eight hundred and fifty foot, and one thoufand two huD-
dred horfe, of the Spanifh troops, into Africa, and
brought fifteen thoufand Africans into Spain. By W
exchange he wifely provided for the fecurity of both coun-
tries. After thefe prudent regulation^ he waited onlyfof
fhe anfwcrs of the Italic Gauls, to whom be had fcnt hi$

» Liv. lib. xxi. cap. 49—5'. Appian i|i Punic. Zon. lib. ?iii« «P'
!»• b Liv. lib. xxi. cap. <|i*

The Roman Htfioty* 4^3

emiflariesi foliciting them to (hake ofF the Roman yoke.
He no fooner received aflurances of their earneft defire to
fee him in Italy, than he applied himfelf wholly to the
preparations for his march. He began by putting himfelf ^^f^'M
under the protedion of Hercules, who was worfhipped at ^'"/^ ^^
Gades, whither he took a journey to offer facrifices and jtaly,
vows to that god. Then he affembled his troops, ha-
rangued them, and, upon a mufter, found that they
amounted to ninety thoufand foot, and twelve thoufand
horfe. However, by the defertion of fome of his troops,
by his difmiffing others, and by the feveral detachments
he made for the fecurity of the new-conquered provinces,
his army, when he croffed the Pyrenees, cohfifted only
of fifty thoufand foot, and nine thoufand horfe *=. With
thefe troops, having pafled the Pyrenees without oppofi-
tion, he arrived at Illiberis, a city of Gallia Narbonenfis,
on the coaft of the Mediterranean, which he had appoint-
ed for the place of the general rendezvous.

In the mean time the Boii, receiving intelligence that Th BoU
Hannibal had begun his march to Italy, openly revolted '"^'^e//.
from the Romans, and, being joined by the Infubres, fell
upon the two new colonies of Placentia and Cremona.
The inhabitants fled for refuge to Mutina, an old Roman
colony, whither the rebels purfued them, with a defign
to befiege the place ; but as they were not flcilled in taking
cities, they had recourfe. to treachery, drew the three
leaders of the colony out of the place, under pretence of
a conference, and then feized them, with a defign to ex-
change them for the hofiiages" they had formerly left in
the hands of the Romans. Thefe hofiiilities rouzed the
praetor Manlius, who had been left by CcJrnelius ScipiOf
with two legions, to keep Cifalpine Gaul in fubjeftion.
He immediately led one of them to the relief of Mutina ;
but as the country, through which he marched, was
covered with forefts, the Gauls, who were acquainted with
all the roads, furprifed him, and cut mofl: of his legiona-
ries in pieces, the praetor himfelf efcaping with great dif-
ficulty to an eminence, whence he retired to Tanetum, a •
city on the banks of the Nicia, where he was immediately
invefted by the enemy. However, upon the approach of
the praetor Lucius Attilius, at the head of the other le-
gion, and five thoufand auxiliaries, the enemv raifed the
fieges of Tanetum and Mutina,, and difperfed \

cPoljrb. lib. iii. cap. 188. Li v. lib. xxi. cap. ai, aj. * Liv.

Ub, XXI. cap* a5i t6, Polyb. lib. iii. cap. 293, 194,

E e 4 Tb^

4^4 ^^ Roman Hifiory. ,

The conful, Cornelius Scipio, having failed from HCi,
and kept along the coaft of Liguria, had landed his troops
at that mouth of the Rhone which is neareft Mafilia^
His defign was to wait there for Hannibal, and give him
battle before he attempted to crofs the Alps. He had»
indeed, received notice of Hannibal's having pafled the .
Pyrenees; but could not imagine that he was near, con*
fidering the difficulty and length of his marcb^ He there*
f»re encamped on an ifland formed by the Rhone, which
the ancients call Camaria, and the moderns La CamarquCi
and remained there a few days to refrefh his troops after
the fatigues of the fea. But Hannibal, more expeditious
than Scipio imagined, having furmouated all difficulties,
was encamped on the banks of the Rhone, and contriving
means to pafs that rapid ftream *. The Gauls, on that
fide the river, favoured him through fear \ but thofe on-
the other fide, jealous of fo powerful an army, prepared'
to oppofe his paflage with all their force* Scipio Knew
nothing of this defign ; otherwife, by joining the Gaulsj
who were determined to difpute his paffage, he would, in
fill likelihood, have made the Rhone the boundary of Han*
nibal's expedition \ but, in this great crifis, Hannibal's
fortune was equal to his valour.

The Carthaginian fufpe£iing that a confular army was
not far off, and being therefore obliged without delay to
pafs the river, which was no where fordable, in fight of
the enemy, he had recourfe to ftratagem. He detached
part of his army, under the command of Hanno, the foa
of Bomilcar, with orders to march up along the river,
to crofs it out of fight of the enemy's camp^ and, by tak*
Hanmbal ing a tour, to get behind them and lie in ambuih. Hanno
p^ej thi having executed his commiffiop, and given the fignal
Mk^nt. agreed on, Hannibal prepared to pafs the river with that
part of the army which remained with him. He ordered
his cavalry to embark in the greater veffels, and his foot
in canoes, made only of hollowed trees. He direfted
thofe who governed the greater veflcls to keep their bows
upon the ftream, thereby to check the current of the river,
' and cover the others from danger. The horfes were not
embarked, but fwam after the fmall boats, one man hold-
ing three or four by the bridle on each fide the boat.
While they were thus contending againft the violence of
the ftream J and animating each other, the enemy waited
for them on the oppofitebarik/with difmal cries and howl-i

• Pplyb^ lib. ii]« cap, 195.

ings;

The Rman Hjfioiy. 4jc

ings *f but in-the^mean time Hanno's detachment attack-
ing them in the rear, they were feized with fuch a panic,
that they immediately difperfed, every one making the'
beft of his way to his own village ^

^ Scipio receiving intelligence' that the enemy were al- '
ready encamped on the baii^s of the Rhone, detached three
hundred chofen horfe to reconnoitre, Thefe fell in with
a party of five hundred Numidian horfe, fent out by Han-'
nibal for the fame purpofe i and a fliarp a£kion enfued, in ThJ!rJf
which the Numidians loft two hundred men, and the Ro- ^^umfgr
mans a hundred and fixty. The Numidians were put to ^^^^*-
flight ; and this advantage, how inconfiderable foever, was /^f i?J^ **
looked upon by the Romans as a happy omen for the reft moMs.
of thie war «. However, it did not difcourage Hannibal,
who, upon certain information, that the confular army
was not far diftant, was fpr fome time in doubt, whether
he (hould attack the Romans, or march for Italy; but the
deputies from the Cifalpine Gauls, the chief of whom was
one Magalus or Maegilus, determined him, by their advice,
to lead his army over the mountains entire, and not run
the hazard of weakening it by a difafter. They made
Hannibal rich prefents, tendered him their fervice, and
took upon them to be his guides over the Alps. The.
Carthaginian, therefore, to avoid Scipio, marched up the
river, and encamped at the conflux of the Rhodanus and
the Araris, or the Rhone and the Saone, Here Hannibal
found two brothers difputing for the dominion of the
country, and their armies drawn up ready ta engage.
At the requeft of the elder 'brother Hannibal joined him
againft the younger, whom he drove out of the country.
The conqueror immediately expreiTed his gratitude, b](
furniftiing the Carth^inians with cloaths, which they;
greatly wanted, moft oithcm being half naked, and fupplyi
ing them with what was neceflary to guard them againft the
fnow and ice of the Alps. Nor was this all the advantage
be received from thefe allies : as the Carthaginians were
afraid of being [attacked by the Gauls difperfed about
thofe unknown countries, the king guarded them in per-
fon, and condu£ied them fafe to the foot of the moun-
tains, which they reached after ten days march.

The ancients have left us in great uncertainty as to th^
place where the Carthaginian general paflTed the moun-
tains. Some q( the moderns point out one place, and

fPolyB. lib. iii. cap. 195— «oo. Li v. lib, xxi. cap. 26«-iS*
S Folyb. ibid* ^p. 798. IJ v, ibid. cap. z^.

{bmt

4^6

HMMibai

htgins hit
March
9*uer thi
Alps.

Is harajfed
by thi i>-
MitOMtJ^

The Roman Hiftoty.

fome another ; but as they may be all equally miftalen,
we fhall follow Hannibal through the difficulties he met
with in his paflage, without pretending to afcertain the
precife place, where he attempted, and happily accom-
plifhed, fo bold an undertaking. As foon as Hannibal
ordered his troops to begin their march up the mountains
the petty kings of the country, aflembling their troops in
great numbers, poflefled themfelves of the eminences,
over which the Carthaginians were obliged to pafs. They
continued haraffing the Carthaginians, and were no focner
driven from one eminence, than they feized another, dif-
puting every foot of land with the enemy, and deftroy-
ing great numbers of them by the advantage they had of
the ground **. Hannibal being informed by the Gauls, who
ferved him as guides, that the Barbarians kept guard in
thofe places only in the day-time, and in the night re-
tired to a village not far off, he decamped in broad day,
and, moving flowly, drew near the poft which the moun-
taineers poffeffed in the evening, as if he defignedtopafs
the night there ; but as foon as it was dark, and the enemy
had, according to their cuftom, retired, he put himfelf at
the head of a detachment of chofen men, and gained one
of the eminences. When day difcovered to the enemy
what had paffed, they refolved to attack the Carthagi-
' riians from the other eminences, which commanded the
narrow, ftony, and broken way, through which they
marched. Accordingly, leaping from rock to rock with
the agility of hinds, they fell upon them from all quar-
ters at once. The Carthaginians loft in this unforefecn
attack an incredible number of horfes and beafts of bur-
den : but the horfes that were wounded gave them molt
trouble ; for, falling in fo narrow aijd crouded a way,
they threw down others by ftriving to recover their feet,
and fo occafioned a general confufion. Hannibal obferv-
ing this, immediately left the poft he had taken, and

Hanm'bid'. ^^^^'"^ ^^ *^^ ^^^"^7 ^^^"^ *« ^^S^^'' ground, killed moft
of them on the fpot, and difperfed the reft *.

Having efcaped this danger, he immediately marched
at the head of a ftrong detachment againft the town
which had harboured the enemy, and entered it with-
out oppofition. Here he found the prifoners, horfes, and
beafts of burden, which had fallen into the enemy's hands,
befidcs cattle and com fufBcient to fupport the army foj
three days. In this town Hannibal remained a day to reit

ney are

hilled and

^wha reco'
fuers his
prtfonei'S,
korfes, (^c.

h Liv, lib. xxi. cap. ji. Poly b. lib. iii, cap. i97'w»»o|.
Liv. ibid, ^ ^ •

The Roman Hijloryl 427

flfid refrefli his troops, and then purfued his march for
three days fiicceffively, ' without the lead moleftation or
alarm ; but on the fourth day he fell into a greater danger
than that he had lately efcaped. Other mountaineers met
him with olive-branches and garlands of flowers, and ten- , .
dcred him their fefvice. Hannibal, thinking it equally
dangerous to truft or diftruft them, endeavoured, by fe-p *
veral queftions, to found their defign. They told him,
that his having defeated thofe who oppofedhim, and taken
their town, had prompted them to come and implore his
protedlion; and that, as to themfelves, they were re-
folved to do him no injury, nor fuffer any to be done him
by others. Hannibal at nrft only pretended to truft them
for fear of difobliging them ; but after they had fupplied
his army with provifions, and converfed with all manner
of freedom and confidence with his foldiers, he began to
entertain abetter opinion of their fincerity, and even put
fo much confidence in them, as to accept their tenders of
ferving him as guides. However, as he ftill retained a
fecret doubt of their fincerity, he placed his elephants and
borfe in the van, and a chofen body of foot in the rear.
This precaution preferved his army from being entirely
deftroyed ; for thefe faithlefs guides, having led the army jj hetrofed
into a valley, furrounded with rocks and fteep hills, faced by his
about, and fell upon them in front, while their country- gttides^and
men, who lay concealed among the rocks, attacked their ^"S^^^
rjear ; but the elephants ftopped the fury of the one, and **^'''*
the infantry ftood their ground againft the other.

Neverthelefs, the Carthaginians fufFered no fmall lofs Lofismamy
both of men and horfes on this occafion ; for the enemy, t/Ais mim
rolling down huge ftones from the upper ground, killed
a great number* The confternation was fo great in Han-
nibal's army, that he was obliged to ftop, and take up his
quarters that njght on the top of an eminence, expofed to
the open air, with that part of the army which was with
him, remote from the baggage, and the reft of the troops,
who with diflliculty efFedled their paflage through the
valley before day-break. In the morning, the enemy be-
ing now retired, Hannibal joined his army and baggage,
jmd continued his march. After this effort, the Gauls
appeared only in fmall bodies, falling fometimes oh the
van, and fometimes on the rear of the army, and fcldom
failing to carry off part of thq baggage. After many fa- Arrives «r
tigues and loflTes, Hannibal arrived at the top of the the top of
inountains, nine days after he had begun to afcend them. ^^««»«-
Tfiiere he ^nc^mped, and hajtcd two days, to give his '''""

ive^rjr

tains.

428. ' 5n&f Roman Hifiory^

V • ■ ■ ■

weary troops fome repofe^ and to wait for the ftragglen*
During his ftay, he faw with pleafure many borfes arrive^
which he thought loft, and fome of his men, who had not
been able to keep up with bis army. As the fnow had
lately fallen in great plenty on the tops of thofehigh
mountains, and covered the ground, this fight terrified
the Africans and Spaniards, who were much affefied
with the cold. In order to encourage them, and in-
f^ire them with refolution againft the fuiferings that yet
threatened them, the Carthaginian general led them to
ttie top of the higheft rock on the fide of Italy, ^nd thence
gave them a view of the large and fruitful plains of Infu-
bria, acquainting them, that the Gauls* whofe country
they faw, were ready to join them. Having thus animated
his harafied troops, after two days reft he decamped, and
began to defcend the mountains^.
Cr^mtSttfi- The diflficulties ^ they met with in going down were

M^inZig f^^^* ^° ^^^^^ *^?y ^^^ ^^""^ ^" ^^^ afccntr They had

1^ jAj, indeed few enemies to contend with ; hut the deep fnows,

mountains of ice, craggy rocks, and frightful precipices,

proved more terrible than any enemy. However, the

troops, now inured to the greateft harafliips, were proof

. againft all difficulties, and furmounted them with chear*

fulnefs. After they had for fome days marched through

narrow, fteep, and flippery ways, they came at length to

9 place, which neither men, elephants, nor borfes, couU,

pafs. The way was exceeding narrow ; and the decli-

. vity was become more dangerous by the falling away of

the earth. Here the guides ftopped, and the whole army

l>eing alarmed, Hannibal propofed at firft to march round,

and attempt another way ; but all places being covered

with fnow to a great depth, he found himfelf reduced to

the neceffity, either of turning back, and climbing up the

mountains again, or getting down a place which was al*

moft perpendicular, where a thin furface of fnow covered

a thick ice. The infantry began to defcend j but their

feet flipping, and there being nothing to catch hold or,

they rolled into the precipices which were on either fide

this narrow paflage, and were cruflied to pieces, or buried

in the fnow.

Hannibal, having ordered the ijyow to be removed,
• which covered all the ground, and the ice to be broken,
encamped at the entrance of this pafs, in order to deli-
berate on the proper method of fuimounting the prefent

kUv.&Polyb.ibid. ^ -

The Roman Hyiory.

cKflSculty. After he had confidercd the nature oF the
place, he concluded, that the only means of getting over
it was to cut a way into the rock itfelf, through which
his men, horfes, and elephants, might pafs. This was
a laborious work ; but the Numidians* fetting chear-
fully about it, and frequently relieving one another, with
unfpeakable pains made, in one day, a way in the rock
for the foot, and in three days more for the horfe, and
likewife for the elephants, which had fufFered ipuch, arid
were almoft dead with hunger, the ground being in that
part of the Alps covered with fnow ; fo that no forage
could be found (?)• Thus Hannibal, having fpent nine
days in climbiijg up the Alps, and fix in defcending them,
reached at length Infubria, and, notwithftanding his many
difafters by the way, entered that country with .all the
boldnefs of a conqueror.

Hannibal now reviewed his army, when he found, that
of the fifty thoufand foot, with which he had fet out from
New Carthage five months and fifteen days before, he
had now but twelve thoufand Carthaginians, and eight
thoufand iSpanlards ; and that his twelve thoufand horfe
were reduced to fix thoufand (Q^)« His firft care, when he
entered Italv, was to refrefli bis troops, who, after fo
long a march, and fo many hardfhips, were in great want
of reft. However, he did not fufFer them to indulge
long in idlenefs ; but 'joining the Infubres, who were at
.war with the Taurinians, laid fiege to Taurinum, the
only city in the country, and made himfelf mafter of it
in three days, putting all who refifted to the fword. This

4*9

Hannibed
inters In*
fubria.

Tahi
TaHrmumB

(?) Some hiftorians tell us,
that the Numidians ufed vine-
gar to foften the rocks (i);
but the filcnce of the moft ju-
dicious writers, as to this par-
ticular, is fufficient to jufti fy
our not giving credit to fo idle
a ftory. All they tell us is,
that the Africans made ufe of
lire, , pick- axes, and other in-
firuments of iron, for the ac-
complifhing of fo laborious an
undertaking.

( Q^) Some writers tell us,

that Hannibal entered Italy at
the head of forty thoufand
foot, and ten thoufand horfe ;
others make his troops amount
to two hundred thoufand foot,
and twenty thoufand horfe (2).
But the above mentioned num-
ber was fpecified by Hannibal
himfelf, and engraved, as Po-
ly bius informs us, on a co-
lumn which he erected near the
Lacinian Promontory in Gala*
bria (3).

(1) Liv. lib. XXI. cap. 37. (s) Cincius Alimentus apud

LiV' xxi. cap. 48* (3) Polyb* lib» iii. cap. %o$.

* atchxcvc^

430

Sfipw qttits
Cauff and
rttums bjf
Jkittoltaij.

Croffes tki
f^y and
encamps on
the banks
•/the
Tuimts.

The Roman Hi/iory.

atchievemcnt ftruck fuch terror into the neig
Barbarians, that they all fubmitted to the conqueror, and
fupplied his armv with all forts of proviGons *.

When Scipio underftood, upon the return of the party
he had fent out, that Hannibal was arrived at the banks
of the Rhone, he decamped, and marched up the river,
with a defign to give him battle j but finding that the
Carthaginians had crofled the river three days before, and
was purfuing his march over the Alps into July, he
marched back to his fleet with all poflible expedition.
Having difpatched his brother Cneius Scipio, with the
bed part of his troops, to carry on the war in Spain
againft Afdrubal, he embarked the reft, witha defign to
return to Italy by fea, and meet Hannibal on his defccnd-
ing the Alps. He foon arrived at Pifa, and croffing He-
truria, joined that army, which the conful Manlius had
fo unfortunately led againft the Boii. With this, and the
few troops he had with him, he paiTed the Pe, and en-
camped on the banks of the Ticinus, which difcharges
itfelf into that river. .Hannibal was furprifed, when he
underftood that Scipio, \(rhom he had left on the banks
of the Rhone, had already returned from Gaul to Italy,
crofled Hetruria, paflTed the Po, and was ready to receive
him. Scipio was no lefs ftruck with admiration at Han-
nibal's expedition in cro fling the Alps, through wavs
which he deemed impaflable. This reciprocal refpea,
which the two generals had for each other, increafed
their emulation, and. infpi red them with an eager defire
of entering the lifts together °*. In the mean time the
news of HannibaFs arrival in Italy, at the head of a
powerful army, of his taking Taurinum, and advancing
to meet the conful Scipio, filled Rome with terror. The
fenate expefted every hour to hear of a battle, and the
uncertainty of the fuccefs kept all men in fufpenfe ; indeed
the two armies were too near each other to defer entering
upon aftion. Scipio encouraged his troops in an harangue
well fuited to the occafion ; but Hannibal employed a new
kind of eloquence, which made deep impreflions on the
minds of his Carthaginians.

He had treated the prifoners, taken on the AlpSj ^^
the utmoft rigour ; fo that they earneftly wifhcd to put an
end to their miferies by death. *Xhey were loaded night
and day with heavy chains, almoft ftarved, and beaten m

1 Polyb. lib. iii. cap. ao^.
ibid. 91a.

a Liy. ibid, cap* 39*

Polyb.

The 'koman HiJioYyl ^ji

% mod barbarous manner. Hannibal defigned them for
the diver fion with which he now entertained his troops ;
for he caufed thofe unhappy men to be brought out at the
head of the army, which he afTembled for that purpofe,
and" afked them whether they were willing to engage each
other in (ingle combats, and fight till one of them were
killed in fight of his troops. He ordered horfes, and
rich habits and furniture, to be produced at the fame time,
as rewards for the conquerors ; and comforted the van-
quifhed with the hopes of death, which would end their
infupportable miferies. There was not one of them
who did not, with great joy, confent to the propofal.
Hannibal then commanded a certain number to be
chofen by lot, in order to engage. Thofe on whom the
lot fell, leaped for joy, while the others broke out into
loud lamentations. While they fought, the reft of the
prifoners looked on the yanquiflied as no lefs fortunate
than the conquerors, having by their death put a period
to the miferies they endured. The conftancy of thofe
who died was more admired by the Carthaginian foldiera
than the valour and fkill of the furvivors. While their
imaginations were warm with thefe objefts, Hannibal told
them, that their fate was like that or the captives whofe
glorious deaths they had admired, and whofe rewards they
had envied ; that Italy was a vaft prifon to them, having
the enemy's country before them, and behind them the
Alps ; that they could xiot efcape the miferies to which
hunger, thirft, nakednefs, and heavy chains, would re-
duce them, unlefs they purchafed liberty, neceflaries, and
life itfelf, by their bravery ; that, fince they could enter-
tain no hopes of returning to their native countries by
flight, they ought to have the fame fentiments which
they had juff before admired in the captives, fince they
were under the fame neccflity of conquering, or dying ;
and that if they conquered, not fine horfes only, and rich
furniture, would be their lot, but all the wealth of the
richeft country and city in the world ».

The difcourfe of the general was applauded by the
whole army, every man declaring, that he was determined
to conquer or die. With this difpofition the army drew
near the Ticinus, which Scipio had already pafled. Next ^httm
day the two armies came in fight of each other, when JT''/'*
Scipio advanced at the head of the cavalry, with fome ^^^^ Btktr*
companies of dartmen, to obferve the enemy's motions

o Li V. ibid. cap. 40—45. Polyb.ibid. cap. ai4-«siS.

and

•43a The Roman Htfiory.

and dlfpoGtion. Hannibal marclied againft him it tfid

head of his Spanifh and Numidian cavalry. As the leaded

pn both fides, and the troops they commanded, were

eager to engage, they foon came to blows ; but fcarce

had the Roman dartmen^ whom Scipio had placed in the

front, made their firft difcharge, when they retired into

the {paces between their troops, through tear of being

' trod down by the horfe. Hannibal's horfe made but one

large front, the Numidians in the two wings, and the

flr^M- Spaniards in the centre. The onfet began between the

f i^«. cavalry of the Gauls in the Roman army, and the Spanilh

.horfe m the Carthaginian. The former, fupported by the

dartmen, who were drawn up in the intervals between

the fquadrons, fuftained the fliock of the Spaniih horfe

with great resolution \ but in the mean time the Numi-

dians, taking a compafs, attacked the Romans in flank,

and, after an obftinate and long difpute, obliged them

to give ground. Hereupon the Gauls, who had hitherto

fought with great bravery, retired Kkewife in feme con-

* fufion. Scipio, at the head of a fmall body of cavalry,

endeavoured to animate his troops more by his example

than by words, till he fell from his f horfe, dangeroufly

nfR§» wounded. Then the Romans, believing their general

mans di- killed, fled with great precipitation ; and Sc^io would

ftaud. have been left upon the place, had not his fon, attended

by a few Roman knights, refcued, and carried him back

to the camp •.

Scipio, confidering that the enemy was fuperior to him
in horfe, and confequently that it would be dangerous to
give them battle in the champaign country, abandoned
his camp, repaflTed the Po, and retired to Placentia.
Hannibal remained fome time on the field of battle, in ex-
pediation that the legions would appear ; but when he
under ilood that the conful was decamped, he purfued
him as far as the bridge over which he had pafled the Ti-
cinus ; but finding it broken down, he took fix hundred
> men, whom the Roman general had left to defend a fmall
fort, and, without without lofs of time, marched up the
Ticinus, till he came to the banks of the Po, which .he
tfanmhal crofled on a bridge of boats. He th^n divided his army
er^fis thi into two bodies, giving the command of pne to his brother
f^i Mago, with orders to purfue the enemy, while he remain-

ed in the neighbo^^hood of the Po, to receive the depu-
ties oi feveral Gaulifli motions, whom his firft advantage

* Polyb. ibid. U Li v. cap. 464

had

vances to
Plaanita*

uhe Roman tiiftory. 453

liadl brought over to him. They engaged to fupply him
Avithas"many men, arms, and provifions as he Ihould
^ant. Encouraged by thefc offers he marched forward,
joiiledhis brothei:, and took the road to Placentia, wher6 ond aJ-
the cbnful was encamped. Scipio, believing himfelf fafe
in that fituation, thought of nothing but curing his own
and his foldiers wounds. He was therefore furprifed to
fee Hannibal advance within reach of his entrenchments,
draw up his army, and offer him battle. Scipio, in (lead
of accepting the challenge, fortified his camp j and Han*
nibal, not thinking himfelf ftrong enough to force the
enemy's lines, encamped ten miles from him.

In the mean time an unexpefted event augmented the treachery
apprehenfions of the Romans, and increafed the confidence oft^^

of the caenxy. About two thoufand foot, and two hundred ^"^"^ '*

torfe, of thofe Gauls who ferved in the conful's army, when *^^ ^^««^»

all was quiet in the Roman camp, entered the tents that
\trefe next to them, murdered the Romans while they
were afleep, and, cutting off their heads, made theiif
efcape to Hannibal. He invited them, with great pro-
inifes> iiito his fervice \ and gave them leave, for the pre-
fcnt, to retire to their refpeftive habitations, to fpread
the fame of this aftion, and engage their countrymen to
ferve the Carthaginians. At the fame time ambafladors
came to him from the Bdii, with the three commiffioners
of the two Romin colonies, whom they had formerly
taken by treachery. Hannibal received the deputies with
great derrionflrations of kindnefs ; and left the three illuf-
trious captives in their hands, that they might make ufd
of them, as they had formerly propofed, to redeem their
hoftagesP.

Scipio not doubting that the G^uls, after their coun-
trymen had a£led fo criminal a part, would declare for the
enemy, refolved to leave his camp at Placentia, where he
was furrounded on all fides by Gaulifh nations, and td
feek fome poft where his troops would not be fo much
intimidatefd by fufpefted neighbours. Accordingly he Scipio ^i^
decamped the following night, and, faffing the Trebia, '''"''» ^'^^
a fmall river which falls into the Po, pofled himfelf on ^^'^^^'^'■*
an eminence near that river, in the neighbourhood of ^*"^*
many of the allies of the Roman people. Hannibal, upon
ititelligence of theconful's march, detached his Numidiari
horfe in pUrfuit of him, while he himfelf followed with
the main body of the army. The Numidians, finding the

pPolyb. lib* iii« cip» ftSO« Li v. lib. ii. cap. 4s.
Vol. X. F f Roman

434

Hannibal
tncamps
near iicipia.

Claflidtum
detinjered
up to liim

Sempronius
arrivis at
Arminium,

Encourage
ed to ven"
ture an
ingagi*
mint. .

The Roman lHJhiy.

Roman camp evacuated, ftaid to fet fire to it ', and tliis delay
gave the Romans tim^ to pafs the plains, and gain the
eminences on the other fide the river. Scipio entrenched
himfelf in his new poll, refolving not to leave it till b's
wound was cured, and his colleague Sempronius, whom
he impatiently expefted from Sicily^ was arrived with an-
other army. Hannibal encamped within five miles of
them, on the other fide the Trebia. Hither great num-
bers of Gauls flocked to him, infomuch that provlfions
frew fcarce in his camp ; but he foon fupplied this want^
y bribing one Dafius, a Brundufian, governor of Qafti-
dium, where the Romans had fixed their magazines of
arms and provifions, to deliver up the placie to him ; by
which means he transferred the fcarcity from his own
camp to that of the Romans ^.

When news were brought to Rome of the battle of the
horfe, and the iflue of that engagement, the fenate was
furprifed. Some blamed Scipio; others imputed that
misfortune to the perfidioufnefs of tlie Gauls, who, by
their defertion, had given a proof of their treachery and
hatred to the Romans ; but after all, as the legions were
entire, they aflumed courage, not doubting but that fine
body of foot would be able to flop the progrefs of the
conqueror. Their confidence was heightened by the joy-
ful tidings of the arrival of the conful Sempronius at Ari-
minum, after a voyage of forty days from Sicily to that
place. He immediately fet out on nis march, and in a
few days joined his colleague on the banks of the Trebia.
After he had refrefhed his troops, and informed himfelf
of the circumftances of the engagement upon the Ticinus,
the ftrength of the enemy, and the charafter of their
leader, impatient to enter upon adiion, he detached all
his cavalry, contrary to the opinion of his doUeague, with
orders to pafs the Trebia, and attack a party of Numidian
and Gaulifli horfe, Hkich Hannibal had fent out to lay
wafte the lands of thofe Gauls who adhered to the Romans.
The trivial advantage he gained on this occafion made him
refolve to hazard a general engagement. Scipio, whofc
wound confined him to his bed, did all that lay in his
power to divert his colleague from fo dangerous a defien :
he told him, that as foon as his ftrength would allow
him to aft, he had an enterprize to put in execution which,
he was confident, would much redound to the fervice
of his country ; but this intimation, inftead of diverting

4 Polyb. lib^iii. c»p« sao.

Sempponiug

Ti^i komoH liifioryk ' ~ 455

Scinipfbnius irom his firft defign, made him fnore eager
to engage the enemy^ before Scipio could appear in thd
field, to (hare with him the glory of the viftory \ and be-
caufie! that commander could hot approve of his ill-timed
cagerriefs for ati (ingagemerit, he told him, that his mind •
tvas tfiore afFeded than his bi^Sy, and that his wound gav^
him afi aveffion to battles. Thus Sempronius, blinded
•with ambition, and pleafed with the hopes of a complete
▼iftory, without Scipip's (haring in the honour of it, re*
Solved to come to a pitched battle with the Carthaginians '.

Hannibal, having learned theconful's defign by fpies, Hofhtibal
whom he fent into the Roman camp, detached the follow- artfully
Jug night his" brother Mago, with two thoufand chofen ^^^''ftfw-
fiien, half horfe and half foot, ordering them to conceal ^^-^^
themfeltes under the baiiks of a rivuleti and wait there
till they (hould receive orders to quit their ambufcade*
£arly next morning the Carthaginian commanded a ftrong
detachment of Numidian horfe to march out, infult the
enemy in their camp ; and then, retiring flowly before the
^oman cavalry, who he' did not doubt would purfue them)
to pafsthe Trebia, and enter the plain. The Numidians^
puffuant to their orders, advanced to the conful's en-
trenchments, as if they.intended to brave the Romans*.
Sempronius, impatient of this infult, firft fent out his ca-
valry againft them, then his dartmen, and laftly, marched
out in perfon at the head of all his legionaries. The Ro-
ittans had not yet taken any nourifliment'; befides, the
day was very cold and fnowy ; and the nearer they drew to
the river, the more (harp the wind blew : however, fuch
tvas the eagernefs of the conful to come up with the
enemy, whohadjuft pafTed the river on horfeback, that
he commanded the Roman infantry to leap into the water \
an order whix:h they obeyed without hefitation^ though it
reached to their waifts. When they came out of th«
river, they found themfelves fo benumbed with cold that
they could not handle their arms; befides, as. the day
was far advanced before they all got over, they felt tht
cfFeffcs of hunger, while the Carthaginians h;ad refreflied-
themfelves with a plentiful repaft, and anointed their
bodies, to 'arm themfelves againft the cold ■.

The Romans no fooner appeared in the plain, than Hannibal
Hannibal formed his army in battalia. He placed eight draws up

thoufand Spaniards, of the Balearic iflands^ armed with ^^^arwy m

order 0/
batUi*
♦ Liv. lib* ii.cap. 5^, s Polyb.lib.iii. cap. Mi—117. LJv.

lib. xxi. cap. 531 54. > ,

F f 35 fling8i

43«

/ul (iraiAfS
up his mtn^

The tnvo
mrmies /«-
gage.

mans bi^
have *wUh
great gai'
iantry j

The Roman Hijiory.

flings, in the advanced guard. Thefe were fupported \(J
twenty thoufand foot, Gauls, Spaniards, and Africans,
all drawn up in one line, to make the larger front. Hb
cavalry, to the number of ten thoufand, mod of them
Gauls, were pofted in the two wings ; and at the two ex-
tremities of the main boay were ranged the elephants, to
cover the flanks of the army. Sempronius's troops con-
fifted of fixteen thoufand legionaries, twenty thoufand
auxiliary forces, a handful of Ceriomani, the only Gauls
who continued faithful to the Romans, and four thoufand
Roman horfe. The conful formed his troops in the ufual
order, keeping the triarii for a body of referve, and poft-
ing his cavalry in the wings. The two armies. being thus
pofted, Hannibal, to keep his men warm, ordered them
ta march brificly againft the enemy, who waited for them,
fl^ivering with cold, in the plain. However, at their ap-
proach, the Romans gave a (hout, the trumpets founded,
and the attack began.

The light-armed infantry on both fides made thfeir dif-
charges, the Baleares throwing ftones with their flings,
and the Romans their little javelins ; but this way of
fighting did not laft long, the Romans retiring within the
fpaces in their lines, and > the Baleares to the wings of
their army. The main bodies of the two armies advanced,
the cavalry moving with the lines they flanked ; but the
Roman horfe, being juft returned from purfuing the Nu-
midians, and much fatigued, were foon put to flight by
the Gauliih cavalry. The flanks of the confular army be-
ing thus expofed, the Numidians attacked them with
great fury, and put them in confufion. Then Hannibal
ordered his elephants to advance, a motion which increaf-
ed the diforder of the Roman army ; neverthelefe, the
legionaries in the fecond and third lines kept their ground,
and fought with incredible bravery, till the Numidians,
under the conduft of Mago, riling out of their ambufcade,
attacked the rear. Then the legionaries, finding them-
felves furrounded on all fides, fought like men in*defpair,
and, being headed by Sempronius, who was a man of
great perfonal courage, cut their way through the batta-
lions of Gauls and Africans, who oppofed them, and re-
tired in good order, to the number of ten thoufand, to
Placentia, their return to the camp being obftrufted by
the Trebia, and the viftorious cavalry of the enemy, who,
fcouring the plain, cut all in pieces they met with. Tbt
allies in the wings endeavoured to regain their camp, but
fome were drowned in the river^ others killed by the

enemy.

The Roman Hifiory* 437

enemy, while they were attempting to pafs it; fo that
the roiit was general, and the (laughter great. A fmall but are dem
body of foot, and a party of horfe, befides the ten thou- feauti, \

fahd legionaries, made their efcape, the enemy not being •
able, on account of the excefSve cold, to purfue them ,
beyond the river. Scipio, who continued indifpofed in
his tent, no fooner received the tidings of this defeat,
than he decamped, and joined his colleague at Placentia *.
Sempronius, to prevent a confternation at Rome, fent
difpatches thither, acquainting the fenate, that he had
engaged the Carthaginian army, but that the feverity of
the feafon, and the coldnefs of the weather, had fnatched
the viftory out of his hands. This account the Romans Rome in
were at firft willing to believe j but when they underftood g^'ot con-
that Hannibal was mafter of the conful's camp, that all Mnatton.
then^tions of the Gauls declared for him, that the Ro- ^
man forces had fled to the neighbouring colonies for
refuge, and that the army had no provifions, but what
were conveyed to them by water, the city was filled with
terror, every one taking it for granted, that the con-
queror would foon appear at their ga'tes. Notwithftand-
ing this confternation, intrigue had a greater fhare in the
eledHon of new confuls, than a due regard to the neceffi-
ties of the ftate. As both the confuls were abfent, the
fenate had paflTed a decree for nominating a di£tator to
prefide in the comitia, when, to their great furprize,
Sempronius arrived. Raihnefs had been always his cha- Sempronius
ra£lter, and on this oocafion it fucceeded ; for though the E^^^M^ ^«
roads between Placentia and Rome were much infefted by ^^''
Gauls and Africans, yet Sempronius, without either dii-
guife or guard, ventured to crofs thofe countries, and got
fafe to Rome, where he prefided in the comitia, when
C. Flaminius was chofen ^, a man without morals or reli- ^

gion» who had before fignalized his confulfhip by dffobey-
ing the orders of the republic, and by an open contempt
of the gods and aufpices ; but he had joined the tribunes
of the people in promoting a law which confined com-
merce to the plebeians, and therefore was by them raifed
to the confulate a fecond time. The colleague appointed
him was P. Servilius Geminus, a man of integrity^ but of
moderate abilities in war. It fell by lot to Flaminius to
oppofe Hannibal, and to the other to command an army .
in Cifalpine Gaul. In the fame comitia, P. Cornelius
Scipio, whofe wound was hot yet cured, was appointed

< Polyb.lib. iii. cap. ax/. Liv. lib. xxi. cap. 55, 56* «Liv.

Ub.xxi. cap. 57*

F f 3 tQ

43?

4iudritMrns
to PiactU'

V'tSumviit
taken hy
Hannibal*

JJannihal
attempts in
nfain to
^rojs 4he
Apennines*

to go into Spain in quality of procpnluli %rbitter he had
fent his' brother to carr^ on th^ war agaiiift Afdf ubal.

The eledions being fin^fh^dt apd the coafuUbip of
Semproniu8 not yet expire4» be retufii^d to Piacentia»
where he bad taken up his qu^rt^rs. liaQQibal di4 not
continue idle« i)otwith (landing thQ feverity of the feafoii».
but made attempts on di^brent plaqes belonging to the
{lomano. The fir (I was on a vilJta^^ on the bstOKa of the
Po, which the Ron^ps had fojrtig^da sind xpad€ their ma-
gazine of corn } but Semp{oniu6» hearing from Placentia
the (houts of the garrifon,^ haftened with all his eavalrj to
their relief, and obliged HannibaU who V^as wounded on
this occaiion) to retire with great lofs. The indefatigable
Carthaginiap) before his wound wa5 cured* made a new
attempt upon Vi£turnvixi a fmal} city of Infuhria, which
the Romans hs^d built and fortified during their war with
the Gauls. This place Hannibal took* and gave it to he
plundered by his Africans, who committed fueh cruelties
as had nc^er before been pra^ifi^d in Italy ''.

sThe fcnate at Rome provided ev^ry thing ncceffary for
the next campaign. Forces were difpatched into Sicily
and Sardinia^ under the command of their prefer. praei>
tors ; and Tarentumi as well as th6 other cities on the
f:oaft, fecured with ilrong garriibna^ to prevent a defcent,
3ixty quinqueremes were equipped to cruife in the Medi*
terranean ^nd Adriatic, and convoys fent into Cifalpine
Gaul and Hetruria^ Hannibal, finding ihe Gaula uneafy
at his reiiding fo long among tbem^ began to grow jea«
lou$ of that nation ; and bla apprehenfiona were fncb,
thati fearing they might make fome attempt upon his lifci
he invented the ufe of falfe hair of feveral coloura, which
he changf^d feveral times a day, as well as his drefs. Final-
ly, he refolyed to croft the Apennines, and enter Hctru*
ria, ^t a tim^ when thofe mountains were almof): impaff^
s^ble^ He was not aware of the fiorhis which the wind
faifes on thofe high rocks, efpecially towards the end of
v»inter J and therefore expofed his troops to great danger,
in attempting to crofs them at that feafo^. So terrible
^n hurricane furprifed him on his march, and the wind
blew the fnpw, mixed with raiii, fo violently in the facet
of his men, that, not being able to advance, they were
forced to halt, and let the ftorm blow over. When the
rain ceaf^^d, the wind became more violent j infomuch
that) after they had in vain attempted to pitch th<^r tetiti»

' Liv. lib. xxi. cap, 57.

they

The Roman KJlory.

tliey were obliged to return to the plain. Hannibal loft a
•great many men, who were frozen to death, together
with feven of the fmall number of elephants that ftill
remained: however, his natural adivity did not allow him
to take any reft. Early next morning he marched out of
his entrenchments, with twelve thoufand foot, and five
thbufand* hdrfe, an.d' offered the conful Sempronius battle.
T^e Roman general, always ready to engage, atecepted
the challenge; and, after a moft obftinate dilpute, which
lafted till three hours after noon, repulfed the enemy to
their camp^ The' rafli conful, intoxicated with this fuc-
cefe, attempted to force Hannibal's camp ; but after he
fatigued his men in this rafh enterprize, he was forced to
>etreat. As the Romans ^re retiring, Hannibal having
firft fent detachments to attack theni in flank, fell upon
their rear with all his infantry. The Romans faced about,
and the battle was renewed with fuch fury, as threatened
a dreadful flaughter on both fides, if night coming on had
not put an end to the conteft *.

As Hannibal had only poftponed his defign of entering
Hetruna, he now began to enquire which was the beft road
to take : and being informed that there were two, the
one longer, but more eafy, the other ftiorter, but leading
through marfhy grounds fcarce paiTable, 'he chofe the
latter, being prompted by his natural inclination to em^
bark in fucn enterprizes as were apt to raife admiration,
and ftrike terror into the enemy : being affured, that,
though great part of the country through which he was to
pafs, lay under water, the bottom was found, he ordered
Dig army to begin their march. He placed the Spaniards
and Africans, with their provifions, in the van, next to
them the Gauls, and the horfe in the rear. Mago, with
a body of Numidians, kept hovering about tjie flanks of
the army, to prevent the foldiers from ftraggling; and the
Gauls, who were impatient of labour,^ from deferting.
The Spaniards and Africans, who were inured to all forts
of hardfhips, took the water without hefitation ; and,
though they .were half-way up the leg in mud, kept
their ranks j but the Gauls marched with difficulty, the
ground being broken by the multitudes of men, and
bcafts of burden, which went before. The whole army
fuffered unfpeakable hardfhips on this march, being
obliged to pafs four days and nights, in the water and-
mire, without finding a dry place on which they could

439

OfiTs the
Romans
batlU I
who re-
pulfi him.

Tki batth

nutwed.

HatimM
refoUffts t9
pafs into
Hitruria.

9 liv. lib. XXI. cap. 5S, 59,

take

44^ The Roman Hifiory.

take any reft. The horfe of the Gauls were moft qf theiii

loft by the way; a lofs, which, however, proved fome

fort of relief to the fpldiers,. who made ufe of .them, 4s

.they lay with their burdens above water, to take fome i^-

pofe, the want of which was their greateft torment.

Great numbers of the Gauls funk under the fatigue.

Kor was PJannibal himfelf without his (bare of the incon-

venlencies of the march 5 for though he rode the only

elephant he had left, yet, as be was before much affcfled

with a defluxion in his eyes, the evil grew tp fucb ^height,

Hf bfes 0t$ by the unwholefome qu^liti^s of jhe 4amp air, ^^Hiiteloft

fy^' one eye entirely V . •

Having thus paffled the marflies, be.epcapiped ip He-
truria, where he was informed that.Sempronius, imme-
diately afier bis departure, had left, Placentia, ir^arched
to Lucca, and there furrendered the command of it to the
new conful Fjaminius. We have obferved above, that
Fiaminius obtained the (:onfulftiip by the favopr of the
people, contrary to the inclination pf tjie fenape. Being
.therefore apprehenfive, left, when he came to be inau-
gurated, the augurs, influenced by his enemies, ftould
find fome pretence to render his eleflion invalid, he left
Rome, without performing the. ufual ceremonies of reli-
gion 5 and, putting himfelf at the bead of the army,
encamped with four legions under the walls of Aretium m
J-Ietruria. The fjsnators, provoked at this unpfpcedented
flep, fent deputies, ordermg him to return toKome, api
perform there the ufual ceremonies of religion; butFla;
.minius, yvithout paying any regard to their orders, con-
, r tinned in his camp, and difmiffed their deputies with
fcorn. His colleague Servilius, whofe province was Cit
alpine Gaul, was detailed at Rome, tp aflift at variou$
expiations, the people being much terrified by prodigies.
P. Corw' P.. Cornelius Scipio, being now cured of his Tyoijnd, f^il:
iiuj Scipio^s ed for Spajn, to join his brother Cneius, who had gained
^Spa/n^" great advantages over Afdrubal. He had defeated the
^ ' Carthaginian army, taken Hanno their commander, with

Indibilis, a Spanilh prince^ and reduced the whole country
.{^ordering on the Iberus.

. Though the news of thefe fucceflfes raifed the coungc
pf the fenators, yet they were very anxious about the
condu(3: of Fiaminius, who had a crafty and experienced
pnemy to deal with. Hannibal, having learnt the true
fhara^t^r pf the conful, did not doubt that he fliould fooif

A Liv. lib, xxii. cap. a< Polyb.i^b. iii* ^p. 230, 231*

fhe '^man Htftoryl 44 1

bring him to a battle; with this view.hp advanced to- Hannibal

wards Aretium, where the conful jyas, ^nc^qiped j and, ^d^vamis

taking the way to Rome, left the Roman camp Dehind '^^A''^*"»»

himp. Fianiiniusji looking on this conduft of the cfleniy

"as a perfonal affront, refolved to follow, and venture ain

engagement. All the officers of the army, in a council

of war, endeavoured, to divert hiri> from fo dangerous a

refolutionVbiit he,*' reproaching thpqa. ^yith cowardicei Flaminius*M

ruihed out of the coijncil in a rage, aiid. gave the fignai rajkniti^^ -'

both for marching and 'fighting. He mpunted his horfe ^^

in fuch a hurry, t}iat'he fell to the ground ^.?n accident -*" i.

which' was |:hought an ^ill omen. At the fame time he "• *-

was 'told, that the enfigns ftuck fo fail in the ground, jha^

the foldiers could not difengage them. Thi.s prodigy wa3

po doubt feigned on purpofe to keep him in the ,canap;

but the conful, without paying any regard to fuch omens,

ordered the ftandard-bearers to make ufe of fpades and

pick-axes, if they could not pull them up with their

tiands **. He then marched at the head of his troops,

whofe niinds he fo filled with hopes of victory, that the

fabbie, who followed the army for plunder, carrying

with them chains and fhackles to feciire the prifoners,

were as numerous as the fpldieris.

Hannibal, who had got the ftart of the confular Is drawn-
ftfmy, by the terrible ravages he committed in the plains i^^oan
©f Corfona provoked the conful to follow him, and at ^^^''A
length drew him infenfibly into an ambufcade. Adjoin-
ing to Cortona are fome high hills, near a lake called .
Thrifymehus, now the lake of Perugia: between thefq
mountains and the lake is a large valley, into which there
is but one narrow paffage. Through this defile Hanni-
bal marched, and encamped his Spaniih and African in-
fantry in th(p valley : his light-rarmed foot he drew up in
btie long line, andpofted tbem'at the foot of the hills,
on thq left fide of the yalley ; and with his horfe he lined
it on the right. Flaminius, without fending fcouts be-
fore, to difcover the fituation of the enemy, entered the Yt, of Fl
dangerous pafs. As it was late when he arrived in the »,^.
valley, he had only time to pitch his camp before it was Ante Chr,
dark. Seeing nothing, but Hannibars camp before hJm,, *o4«
lie was under no apprehenfion; but as foon as the Ro- ^^'
mans began to march at break of day, they found them- tj-f^ ^^^^^^
felve^ attacked on a fudden in front, in rear, and in of^Mafi^
i|ank \ and yet, pccafioned by a thick fog from the lake, mtnus*

^ ^olyb. 11^. iii, cap. 233. Liv. lib. xxii. cap. 3.

coul4

44«

mams in
gnat ciMm

flaminhs
killed^ and
tkt Ko"
mans di»
ftattd.

The Roman Rijhny.

could not perceive the enemy by whom they were galld,
jFlaminius heard frdm his poft the (iries of his foldiersio
iK^rent places, and the groans of dying men in the rerjf
centre of hb army \ but as he could not, for die thlci-
hcfs of the fog, perceive whence the mifchief came, hi:
exhorted his foldicrs (who, in their diftreft, weit i©-
ploring the affiftance of the gods) not to depend on idle
prayers, but on tHeir irms «.

The confuGon of the Romans was inexprcffiblc. Efcit
one endeavoured to Ihift for hinifelf, but was ftopjied
cither by his fellow- foldier^, who were flying as weD as
himfelf, or by the enemy, who Surrounded them, on all
fides. The nomans, finding them fel ves enclofed in fuck
a manner between the lake and the mountains, tliat thete
was no pofflbillty of efcaping, fought in delpair : fuel
was their eagerhefs and fury, that they were not fenlible
of an earthquake, which overturned many cities in Italy.
The flaughter continued three hours withont intenniffioQ.
At length one Pucarius, an tnfubriah in the Orthap?
nian army, knowing Flaminiiis, whom he had formerlT
feen laying wafte his country with fire and fword, cried
out, *• There is the conful, who did fo much mifcliief to
our fields and cities ; I will make him a viSimto appeafe
the manes of my countrynien/* At thefe words, k
rode forward, broke through the Romans who guat&J
their general, and ftruck his tance through his body*
jnSminius fell down dead, and the Gaiil was prejpajingto
ftfip him ; but the triarii covered hini with their anw
and bucklers. The Romans were now intimidated to
fuch a degree, that fome leaped into the lake,, and were
drowned ; others attempted tg climb over the mountaias;
a body of fix thoufand opened themlelves a way throagi
the narrow pafs,. fword in hand| apdefcaped to ineni^
nence, whence they retired to a ^own in Hetrutia, m
there intrenched tnemfelves. 'Hannibal detached Ma-
herbal after them >yith all his cavalry, and a great part

' of his infantry. The fugitives, being" iriveftediii'th^ Til-
lage, and deftitutc of provifidns, furrendered' to Maner-
bal, who -promifed them their lives and liberties. Haa-

. nibal, however, pretending that Maherbal had liqt been
empowered by him to make fuch a promife, loaded [n?

. Romans with * chains ; but difmifled their allies, affufiBg
tllfem, th-at he. was come into Italy to deliver them&o?
t^e tyriannical yoke of Rome, and reftore them that h-

'- Polyb. lib. iiit cap. 234, 136^

bcrty

The Roman Hiftory^ 4f f

hcrlf which their fathers had eajoycd. By this artful
conda£i: he^hoped to ^raw over t6 hi& fide the friends aitd
alliea of Rome **.

• After this viftory, the conqueror ordered the dead to
be . aumbered ; a^d found that he had loft but fifteen
hundred men; whereas the Romans bad loft ^s manjr
thoufands upon the fpot. The nunAer of prifoners takeh
by Hannibal amounted, according to Plutarch, to ten
thoufand; according to PolybiuS) to fifteen thoufend 5
but Liry and Valerius Maximus tell m^ that fix thoufund
prily were made captives. About ten thoufand Romans,
moft of them wounded, made their efcape, and took
the road to Rome, where few of them arrived, the reft
dying of their wounds before they reached the capital.
When news were broaght to Rottic of this great over-
throw, the pra^tpr Pomponius, knowing it ^otild not be
' long concealed, mounted the roftra about fi;n»fet, and to

a numerous affembly, (even the*wom6tt crowding to it,
5 contrary to cuftiom) pronounced the following words : "

I *^ We are overcome;" which ffruck all with fuch terror, Rome in
i that ibme who were prefent, and had been in the battle, theutmofi

i - 'found the effefk of the defeat greater at Rome than it had ^onft^rna^
\ been in the field. The dejeftionof the citizens was inex- ^'^**
\ prefiible. They haftened in crowds to the gates of the city,
( to Wait for thofcwhohad cfcaped the flaughter, and to

[ learn the particulars of the a£lion. Two nwjthers werie

ib tranfported with joy, one at the gate of the city, when
flic faw her fon uncxpeftedly appear, the other at home,
where flie found her fon, whom (he had given up for loft,
that they both expired on the fpot •* In this general con-
fternation, the fenators alone preferved their equanimity.
The praetor kept them fitting three days; but, before
^hey came to any refolution, news were brought of a fe-
cond defeat. Thcf conful Servilius, having heard at Art- a detach*
mimim, that his colleague had refolved to give battle, mentof
had detached, four thoufand horfe to his affiftance, under Roman
the command of the propraetor Centenius ; but Hannibal, ^^'/f ^'
hearing of this reinforcement immediately after the ac- ^g/l^^^
tion, fent out Adherbal with all his cavalry, and a body
of infantry; who meeting with the Roman horfe, killed
two thoufand of thert, and obliged the reft to take fanc-
tuary on a neighbouring hill, where they were invcftcdj
and the nfext day forced to furrender ^

* Polyb. ubi fupra. Liv. ibid. « Liv, ibid. cap. 7. ^ Polyb#
4hid* (:sp. 236^ U lav. ibid, cap- S.

The

FahtMS
idaximut

444 l^he Roman Wfiory.

The fenatCi judging that the republic wanted an abfo*
Jute governor, without waiting for a nominatioa from tbt
furviving conful, of their own authority named a didh*
Jtor \ buty from regard to the ancient cuftom, tbey gave
him only the title of PjK>di^ator. The perfon chofen was
^abius Maximus, furnamed Verrucofu^, a man as cool
and cautious in his conduct as Sempronius and Fiagii-
nius had been warm and impetuQU$. The people did not
fu&r him, as was cuftomary for dilators, to name Us
general of the horfe, but by their own authodty pitched
upon M. Minuciu$ Rufus, a great favourite of the people,
and a zealous partifan of the plebeian party s. The sev
didator began the fun£lions of his oflice, by command-
ing the decemviri to confult the Sibylline books. In order
to learn from thofe myfteripus oracles the caufes of the
prefent calamities. The decemviri r^pQrteid> that the
, inisfortunes of the republic were 0:wing to the non-per-

formance of a vow made by Aulos Cornelius, to facrifice
to Mars all the pigs^ lambs, kidsj and calves, that ibould
. . be brought forth, from the firft of Maricb to thefirftof
W^v/r . M^y, This is. what the ancients called ver facnim''.
Jatrunu This vow being renewed, and feveral others made, the
' di£kator took the field at the head qf the army Senilios
had commanded, to which he added two legions, appoints
Ing the city of Tibur. for the place of rendezvous. From
thence he fent orders to the country-people to burn their
houfes, and retire with all their effefts into places of
fafety. Having taken this precaution, be fet out on his
march , to meet Hannibal, not with a defign to engage
liim, but to watch his motions^ and cut off his provi^
fions.
WMu$ Accordingly he attended him through Umbria and Pi-

Jdlknus cenum, into the territory of Adria, and then through the
UaunibaL ^ countries of the Marrucini, and Frentani, into Apulia.
'_ When the enemy marched, he followed them; when
they encamped, he halted likewife ; but generally ^^
eminences, and at fome diftance from their camp, watch-
ing, their motions, cutting off ftragglers, and keeping
them in continual alarm. This cautious way of proceed-
ing, which gained him the furnam^ of Cunftator, greatly
diltrefled the enemy j but at the fame raifed murmurs in
the arrnj. Minuiius, who was a favourite of the peo"
pie, and ambitious of the chief command, made no fcru'
pie to accufe the diftator of cowardice } 'but neither the

tPlut. in Fab. p. 175.

* J-iv. lib. »ii. cap. 9» »«'•

inveflivcs

The Roman Hiftory.

inveGlves of Minutius, nor the devaftarions which Hari-
liibal committed in the countHes of the allies of Rome,
could induce Fabius to alter his meafures. He ftili con-
tinued following the Carthaginian army, without hazard-
ing a battle, and was never above one, or, at the moft,
two leagues from their quarters. Hannibal, convinced
that the meafures Fabius had taken muft utterly ruin the
Carthaginian army, did all that lay in his power to bring
him to a battle. He ravaged Samnium, plundered the
territory of Beneventum, a Roman colony, and laid fiegc
to Telefia, a city at the foot of the Apennines. Finding
that neither the ravaging of the country, nor even the
taking of fome cities, could make Fabius quit his emin-
ences, he refolved to make ufe of a ftronger bait, which
was to enter Campania, the fineft country in Italy, and
lay it wafte under the dictator's eyes, hoping by thefe
means to bring him to an aiSlion, He ordered his guides,
who were three Campanian horfemen in his army, to lead
him to the territory of Cafinum ; but, as he fpoke Latin
verv indifferently, he pronounced the word Cafinum in
fuch a manner, that the guides underftood Cafilinum,
and led his troops into narrow pafles, which divide gam-
nium from Campania, at a fmall diftance from Cafilinum.
He had no fooner entered the ftreights, than Fabius, who
watched all his motions, attacked his rear, put it into
diforder, and killed about eight hundred of his men.
Hannibal, thinking himfelf betrayed by his guides, or-
dered them all to be crucified *.

The ravages he committed in Campania raifed fuch
complaints in the Roman army againft the diitator, that
he pretended to be as impatient of coming to a battle as
Minutius -, and accordingly marched after Hannibal with
more expedition than ufual ; but, at the fame time,
avoided an engagement, under various pretences. He be-
held, from the top of Mount Maflicus, the Carthaginians
laying wafte the fruitful plains of Falernum, without ftir-
ring from his poft. At this inadivity both officers and
ibldiers began to mutiny, and hearken with pleafure to
the invedives of Minutius. " We have indeed," faid
the general of the horfe, •* a noble leader ! for fear of
endangering our livds, he hides us in the clouds.^' When
thefe and fuch-Hke farcafms were reported to Fabius, he
only replied, that he fhould be more cowardly than they

« Plut. in Fab. Liv. lib. xxii. cap. i«, i j, Polyb. lib. iii. cap.

fuppofed

445

HanniM
mified bj
amiftahof
his guides*

Fabius
rallied by
his9nun
armj*

44^

Jira'agem

€a gtt
through
tkt pafs
£riianus»

the Roman iTtfioryi

fiippofcd him, if, through fear of idle railleries, he ncg*
leded to follow the diftates of his rcafon ; and continued
the fame conduft, notwithftanding he underftood, that
his precaution and delays were blamed even at Kome.
Hannibal, perceiving he could not bring the diflafor to a
battle, refolved to quit Campania, which he found abound-
ing more with fruit and wine than with corn, and to
return into Samnium, through the pafs called £ribanus»
Pabius concluding from his march, that this was his de-
,fign, got the ftart of him, and encamped on Mount Cal-
licula, which commanded the pafs, after having placed
fcveral bodies in all the avenues.

' Hannibal was for fome time at a lofs how to proceed)
but at laft contrived the following ftratagem, which Fa-
bius could not forefee, nor guard againft. Being encamp*
cd at the foot of Mount Callicula, he ordered Afdrumil
to pick out of the cattle, taken in the country, two thou-
fand of the ftrohgeft and nimbleft oxen, to tie faggots to
their horns, and to have them and the herdfmen ready
without the camp. After fupper, when all was quiet,
the cattle were brought to the hill, where Fabius had
placed fome'Roman parties in ambufh to flop up the pafs*
Upon a fignal given, the faggots on the horns of the oxen
were fet on fire ; and the herdfmen, fupported by fome
battalions armed with fmall javelins, drove them on
quietly. The Romans, feeing the light of the fires,
imagined that the Carthaginians were marching by torch-
light. However, Fabius kept clofe in his camp, depend-^
ing on the troops he had placed in ambufcade i but when
the oxen, feeling the fire on thfeir heads, began to run up
and down the hills, the,Piomans in ambufh, thinking
themfelves furrotmded on all fides, abandoned their pods,
and returned to their camp. Then Hannibal entered the
pafs ; and, getting fafe through with his a/my and bag-
gage, gained the plain before day-light, and encamped
near Allifae, on the confines of Samnium and Campania.
Fabius, though rallied by his foldiers for having been
thus over-reached by the Carthaginian, ftill purfued the
fame meafures,. marched direftly after Hannibal^ and en-
camped on the eminences near Allifae K

From thence he followed him into Apulia, intercept-
ing many of his ftragglers and convoys 5 but when he
came to Larinum, in the country of the Frentani, he re-
ceived a letter from the fenate, recalling him to Rome^

^ Polyb. lib. iii. cap« 143— 145* Liv* lib. xxii. cap, 15— iS.

on

^e Roman Hiftory. 447

on pretence of a folemn facrificCj which required his Fahiusn*
prcfencc 5 and then the virtue of this great man was put ^^^^'^ ^»
to a fevere trial. N6t only the multitude, but even the ^^"^* .
fenatbrs, had imbibed prejudices againft him. As Han-
nibal had artfully fparcd his lands in the general devafta-
tion, they began to fufpeft him' of holding a fecret cor-
refponddnce with the enemy. Of this groundlefs fufpi-
cion they gave a proof, by refufing to fend him a fum
of money for the redemption of two hundred and forty-
feven captives, whom Hannibal had releafed, purfuant to
an agreement between him and the didator concerning
the exchange of prifoners : but this ingratitude of the
fenate ferved only to heighten the luftretof his virtue ;
[ for, as he was a religious obferver of his word, he ordered

bis fon to fell his lands ; and, with the money, paid the
fum ftipulated ^

The diftator^ upon his leaving the army, commanded
his 'general of the horfe not to hazard a battle during his In huidt-
g abfence ; but Minutius, without regarding his orders, im- fi^^f J*''*

, mediately fent out ftrong parties to attack the Carthagi- "^{"''^

,, nian foragers ; and in two bloody fkirmiflies, cut many of jmaUad' ■

\ them in pieces, and took from them all their booty. The vantaget

J news of this fuccefs reaching Rome before the dictator, ovgr tkt

\ he found, on his arrival, both the fenate and people pre- '«^^y-

, poffeiTed againft him, and in favour of his general of the

/ horfe.' IVfetilius, a tribune of the people, made an ha-

rangue to the multitude in the prefence of Fabius, full of
accufations againft him ; but the diftator, thinking it be-
; neath him to make an apology, addrefled himfelf to the

- aflembly in the following words : ** Fabius cannot be
fufpefted by his country.** Then with an air of gratideur
and intrepidityi *' Romans (faid he), let us make bafte to
finifh the religious ceremonies, which detain me from re-
turning to the army. I have a refraftory man to chaftifc,
and a breach of military difcipline to punifli. I forbad
Minutius to give battle ; but he has difobeyed my orders,
and I muft make an example of him.'' The friends of
Minutius, ftruck dumb by this declaration, began ro con-
fult how they could fcreen him from the feverity of a
magiftrate invefted with an uncontroulable power. Mc-
tilius advifed the people to give the general of the horfe an
equal authority with the diftator. Terentius Varro was ,
the only tribune whom Metilius could prevail upon to fe-
cond his motion. He was the fon of a butcher, and had
iCbllowed his father's profefiion in his youth; but had

1 FlKt.iaFab. Polyb. ibid* Liv. lib.xxii« cap. z8.

forfakcn

448

M'mutius
fMi Mp9n
an equal
footing
mnlh him.

nnde the
eurmjm

fayms

ja ves his
iPiUague*

fhe Rofhan tUfior^.

Ibrlalcen that mean calling,'and, by the favour of tne peo-
ple, obtained firft the prxtorfliip, and afterwards the
tribunefliip. Now he afpired to the confulate ; and
therefore, feeing the people greatly inclined to favour Mi-
nutius, he did not fcruple to promote his fortune at the
cxpence of his honour. He feconded Metilius, and got
the law paiTed, eftablifhing, by an unheard-of innova-
tion, an equality between the di£tator and his general of
the horfc •, the lenate being mean-fpirjted enough to con-
firm this abfurd law. Fabius, having aihfled at the fa-
crifice to which he had been called, and prefided at the
ele£tion of a j|ew conful, who was Attilius Regulus, in
the room of Mfminius, had left Rome before the decree
was confirmed by the fenate, but was overtaken on the
road by a meflengcr, enjoining him, in the name of the
Roman people and fenate, to give his general of the
horfe an equal (hare of the command "•

When he arrived at the camp, Minutius propofed, that
each fhould take his turn in the command of the whole
army for a day, or a week ; but Fabius chofe to divide the
army, and to command his fliare feparately, hoping hy
that partition to fave at lead a part of the Roman forces^
The army being divided, the two generals did not remove
far from each other, but encamped at a due diftance, Fa-
bius on the hill, and Minutius a little below him, almoft
in the plain. Hannibal pofted himfelf oppofite the latter,
and fooii brought him to an engagement, in which, by
the mafterly ikill of the Carthaginian in laying ambuflies,
he was furrounded on every fide, and would have been cut
off with all his troops, had not Fabius, facrificing his pri-
vate refentment to the welfare of his country, haftened to
his relief. That brave Roman, moved with compaiSott
at the fight of the flaughter that was made of his country-
men, rulhed down like a torrent from his hills, fell upon
the enemy where Minutius was moft prefled, cut all m
pieces who oppofed him, and put the reft into the utmoft
confufion. Then Minutius's troops rallying, the two ar-
mies united, and advanced in good order to renew the
fight ; but Hannibal founded a retreat, and retired to^mj
camp. He was heard to fay, as he marched back, ** 1
have always forefeen, that the cloud which appeared lo
conftantly on the mountains, would, fome time or other,
break -out into a ftorm, and difcharge itfelf upoflonr
heads." After the adion, Minutius and Fabius returned
to their refpedlive camps. The latter did not drop a word

" Polyb. ibid. cap. *53. Liv. lib. xxii. cap. 15, a6. Plut. in Fab.

which

The Roman Hiftoff. 440

.which fatbiircd of oftcntationjfor of contempt for his col^^
league; and Minutius did jui^ice both to himfelf and to
Fabius. Having aflembled his troops* he told them, be
had learned by experience^ that he was not bom to com^
mand.; but that obedience ought to be his province ; and
that he was therefore refplved tp return to the ftatioii
which he had prcfumptuoufly left. " Come then, dear
fellow-foldierS} (faid he)^ let us go and offer our fervices
to the didator, and put ourfelves again wholly under his
condud. Let him command alone, (ince he alone is fit
to be the foul of fo great a body. I will call him father ;

and you ought to give his foldiers, who delivered you, the
title of patrons. It will be a greater glory^|r lis to havji
conquered ourfelves, than to have conquer«PHannibal °."

Having thus fpoken, he immediately marched with his
legions to the di£lator*s camp, prefented him(elf beforfe
him, made his acknowlegements, and refigned the au- Mlmifiki
thiority with which he had been entruftcd. He declared. ''«%»•' ^j'
;. that he (hould think himfelf happy, if the didator would "/!J|^

i only continue him in his office of general of the hoffe \ ^' -

^ and begged that none of his officers might be degraded^

^ fince his rafhnefs alone had brought difhonour upon them.

Fabius tenderly embiaced him^ granted what he afked;
J and the day, which began with fo much terror, ended

^l with univerfal joy in the camp. The Cz months of the ' .

didatorfliip being foon after expired, Fabius returned to
^ Rome, after having reCgned the Command of the ?Ltmf

to the confuls Servilius and Attilius, who, imitating the
conduft of Fabius, watched from the eminences the ene-
tny*s motions, without giving Hannibal, for the remainder
of their year, an opportunity of attacking them *'.

During thefe tranfa£tions in Italy, Cneius Scipio made St/ittof
^ a furprifing' progrefs in Spain. All the nations between "^#«f» «!

^ ' the Iberus and the Pyrenees fubmitted to him, and put ^/«'»*
' him in poiTeffion of a hundred cities. The Celtiberians

entered into an allance with him, and, engaging Afdru-
\ bal, defeated him in two pitched battles, killed five thou-

fand of his men, and took four thoufand prifoners. This
• * , was the ftatc of the Roman affairs in Spain, when P. Sci-
^ pio, the brother of Cneius, arrived in that country with

the chara£ler of proconful, with eight thoufand Roman
' troops. With this additional ftrength the two brothers

pafled the Iberus, and, penetrating into the heart of the

>»Polyb. cap. 154. Liv. lib. xxli. cap. 48—30. Plot, ibid,
• Polyb. Liv» lib. xxii, ibid* Plut. in Fab.

. YoL. X. Gg Cartha-

Cartliagintan provinces, inarefied to^rds Sagtifimf^
•which Hann^al had rebuilt before he left Spain, andfc-
cared ^Hth a ftrong garrrfon, tinder- the command <rf
Boftar, a Carthaginian, havmg' placed' in it all the yowg
noblertien, whom he had obliged their parents \o putkto
his hands, as pledges Of their fidelity. As thcfc hoftagcs
prevertted' thi Spanifti lords^from revolting to the Romans^
the two ' Scipios marched to Saguntnm, m order to fet
them free. Their defign "Mras executed by one Abclox, a
iSpaiofli ofHcfcrin the garrifon, •who having an indinaW)fr
^ *to go over to the Romans, perifuaddd Boftar, that it would
tc for ehe Carthaginian intcrdl to oblige the Spanifliiw-
Wemen by a:|Heafe of their children, urgrog, that, if the
Romans moma take the place, and reftore them to tkir
']fareht8, many nations would declare for them. 'He
dfFercdto conduEk the hdftagcs to their rrfpeSivc coan-
trfes ;* boi the- intonfiderate Carthaginian had no foooor
given' his confcnt to 'this motion, than 'Abelox, fepiir-
mg in the nightto the Roman camp,, acquaiintcd the pro-
conful with whathi had done ; and it was* agreed betiteii
them, that thd following night a detachment of RomaK
ihould' lie hi ambtrfh,'and'furprife the yo«fths and their
*feader. The projeft was happily executed j 'aiid 'Scipio,
•ty fending the hbftagesto their parents', fecuredftfch'w
interrfft in the country, that he -wtas'ftiongcr tbei« th»
* the Carthaginians p.

'The time for a new eledion drawing near, oneof%

*COnfuls named* a di£kator to prcfide in the eomitia, it not

being fefe for either of them to leave the ^ army, The

perfon named was L. Veturius Philov^but the augurj

finding fome defe£l in- his nomination, ^e was forced to

C^ittn^ abdicate, and give place to an interregnum ; whenTcrcn'

^"ii^* tius Vdrro was thofcn to the confuiate„ in' oppofition lo

MM^r 'theutmoft effb'fts' of the body of the nobilhy. Thccoi-

Paulus lejjgue given him was /Emiliua- Pahlus, an enemy to'tk

cwfnU. pfebeianSj-as Varro was to thepatricians. Servilitis and

AttHius were continued, in qvatity of proconfuls, at the

heiid of thc^armiesy but with orders- to a^ft uBfdrf^hc*'

rCftion of the new confuls. 'That Terendus, whd^TWSJ*

great favourite of the people, might have the •gfcfT'Jf

tight legi' conquering Hannibal, eight legionai were raifcd, fcerfft-

•ns raffed .\^g ^^ch of five thoufand foot, and three hundred hdtfe;

$nRme, ^ ^^d the allies' were' ordered to fumiih. thercprtlic^^

double their contingents both of horfc and foot. The

f Polyb. lib. ill. hTiH^* Livt lib. xxii. cap. aa>

^ntei^ being employed in ihefe preparatioiis, ttie ddhfuls
took the field eat ly in the fpring, and, arriving at the camp,
found af&lrs in a good Condition, Serviliu^ and Attilius
having avoided a general aftion, and in fome itirmifhes
gained coufiderable advantaged. Hantiibal, foon after the
arrival of the new confuls, Whofe arniy confided in all of
eighty-feven thoufarid men, being in want of provifions,
rrfolved to leave Samniuni, and penetrate into the heart
of Apulia;

Accordingly he decamped ill the night 5 and> by leav-
ing fires. burning, and tents ftanding, in his camp, made
the. Romans believe for fome time, that his retreat was
only feigned, -Wheii the truth was difcove^d, sffimilius
was againft purfuing.him j but Terentius, c<3ntriary to the
opinion -of all the officers in the army, except the pro^
confui iScrvilius, was obftiiiately bent on following the
enepxy^ whom he overtook at Cann*, till this time an
^bfcure city in Apulia. It ftood Oti the banks of the Au-
&lus, .in a vaft plain^ five miles from Canufium, and fix
from Jthe Adriatic fea. Here Hannibal halted, not only
becaufe he found a magazine of corn in the place, but
becaufe he thought the open country about it very proper
for. a. battle, there being room enough fof his horfe to
9£):;.and the main ftrength of his army confided in his
cavalry; The confuls being divided ih opinion, courier
after courier was fent tb Rome, and even jSmilius went
ihitber himfelf to receive the orders of the fen ate, U^ho
judged it neceffary to fight the enemy, but advifed Te-
rentius to avoid an a£tion for fome titne. Meanwhile,
Hannibal took poll on the banks of the river, and difpofed
all things as if he werfe juft going to battle. His troops
had the fun behind them at noon \ fo that the Rohians
might be expofed not only to the inconvenience of too
great a light, but to that of.great clouds of duft, which
^hc fouth-weft windy that blows almoft every day in Apu-
lia, would drive into their faces.

The confuls weie no fooner Withm reach of Cannae,
than a difpute ardfe between them, ^nailius was for en-
camping on the eminences, where the enemy's cavalry,
^hich.was far fuperior to theirs, could not a£t j and ac-
cordingly, when it was his turn to coihmand, he pitched
hid camp among the hills; but Terentius next day ad-
vanced into the plain, and brought the army into fuch a
^tuation^ that .£milius could not retire, without expofing
the. army to, great danger. He therefore fortified two
camps, the greater on the weft fide of the river, and xhA

Gga lefler

45«

HannUfdi
liecamps ut
ordtr to
enter At%^
Ha.

TAe confuit
divUid in
their opi-
nion*

Hannibal
fofis him-
feifadvan*
tagtoujlyk

New dif.
agreement
between
the confitiu

4)3 Tbi Roman Htfioty.^

lefler on the eaft, and opened a conuhunication between
them by a bridge. There was no longer the leaft har-
mony between the confuls ; they had quite different max-
i(ns, and purfued oppofite meafures, each fucceeding day
deftroying the proje£ls of the preceding^. Hannibal,,
perceiving that the Romans could not long avoid a ge-.
neral aflion, harangued his troops, drew them up in bat-
Vmrrori' talia, and defied the enemy. iEmUius, whofedayitwas
/ol^ti to to command, knowing that Hannibal would tie foon
"mrieir-^* obliged to decamp for want of provifions, defpifed his
\f^^ bravadoes, and kept clofe in his entrenchments ; but next

morning, by break of day, Terentius, whofe turn it was
to give orderst marched into the great plain, where the.
little camp was pitched, and drew up his forces after the
Di/pofithm ufual manner, t^e haftati in the firft line, the principes in
pfthe mr- ^^ fecond, and the triarii in the third. The cavalry were
TlutUof P^^^^ ^^ ^^^ wings. In the right the Roman knights
QmmJ, flanked the legionaries ; in the left the cavalry of the aHies
covered their own infantry. 1 he two confuls command-
cd the two wings, Emilias in the right, and Terentius
in the left ; and the two proconfuls, Servilius and Atti-
liuSf dire£ied the main body. Hannibal, whofe army
confided of forty thoufand foot, and ten thoufand horfe>
placed his Gauliih and Spanvih cavalry in his left wing, .
to face the Roman knights^ and pofled the Numidian
horfe in his right, to oppofe the cavalry of the allies of
Rome. He divided the African battalions into two bodies^
one of which he pofted near the Gaulifii and Spanifii
horfe, the other near the Numidian cavalry. Bet^'cen
thefe two* bodies were placed, on one fide the Gaulifh,
on the other the Spaniih infantry, drawn up in fuch a
manner, as to form a kind of obtufe angle, proje£bine a
confiderable way beyond the two wings. Behind this nrft'
line he formed a fepond, which had no proje<9:ion. Af-
drubal commanded the left wing, Maberbal the right,
and Haiiniba], with his brother Mago, conducted the
main body '.
^ht armus The attack was begun with the light-armed infantry ; the
€ngagi. Romans difcharged their javelins, and the Baleares their
ftones, with equal fuccefs ; nevcrthelefs the conful M'
milius was wounded. Then the Romaa cavalry in the
right wing advanced againft the Gaulifli and Spaniih
horfe in Hannibal's left wing. As they were fhut in by
the river on one, fide, and their infantry on the other, they

s Liv. Ub. xxii. cap. 44* Plut. in Fkb; r Polyb. lib. iii.

a62— 267, Liv. lib. xxii. cap. 45<*--50..

did

The Roman Hiflory*

did not fight, as ufual, by charging and wheeBng off,
and then returning to the charge 5 but continued fighting
each managainft his adverfary, till one of them was kiljed,
or retired. After they had made inconceivable efforts on
both (ides to unhorfe each other, they on a fudden dif-
mounted, and fought on foot, man to man, with incre-
dible fury. This attack was (hort but bloody ; the Gauls
and Spaniards prevailed J put th^ Romans to the rout;
and, purfuing them along the river, ftrewed the ground
with their dead bodies, Afdrubal giving no quarter. This
aftion was fcarce over, when the infantry advanced o»
both fides. The Romans firft attacked the Spaniards and
Gauls, who, as we have obferv^d above, formed a kind
of triangle, projedling beyond the two wings. Thefc

fave ground, and, purfuant to HannibaPs dirediions, fell
ack into thefpace in their rear ; by which means they in-
fenfibly brought the Roman^, who followed them with more
ardour than caution, into the entre of the African in-
fantry, and then rallying, attacked them in front, while
the Africans charged them on both their flanks. The Ro-
mans being, by this artful retreat, dravni into the fnare^
and furrounded, no longer kept their ranks, but form^
feveral platoons, in ordeV to face every way.

j£milius, who was in the right wing, feeing the danger
of the main body, put himfelf at the head of the legion-
aries, who were his only hope, after the defeat of the
cavalry, and a£ked the part both of a foldier and general,
and penetrated into the very centre of tiie enemy's batta-
lions. All the Roman cavalry that was left, fuftained the
brave conful on foot, and encouraged by his example^
fought like men in defpair •, but in the mean time Afdru-
bal, at the head of a detachment pf Gaulifli and Spanifii
infantry drawn from the centre, attacked the fatigued Iq»
gionaries with fuch fury, that they were forced to give
ground. j£milius, covered with wounds and blood, was
too weak to reach the camp. Being deferted by his men,
he fat down on a ilone, and in that condition was found
by one Lentulus, a tribune, in his retreat. This officer^
knowing the conful, immediately difmounted, and offered
him his horfe ; but ^milius replied with a faint voicd,
*' I have lived long enough, dear Ii^ntulus ; fly, and let
Xne die. Take care to give the fenate timely notice of our
misfortunes, that they may guard and fortify Rome \ an<(
tell Fabius, that I have followed the advice he gave me at
our parting, to the very laft." Then Lentulus retired,
jmd the cnemj^s cavalry, who purfued the Romans, com-

G g 3 ing

453

^hi Roman
horfi de*
ftatid*

Thigattata
hihaviowr

tiusm

454

Vr. of Fl.

* »i45-
Ante Cbr.

X03.
U. C. ^45.

4ind the Ro-
mans de-
ftattdwith
great
fiaughien

The Roman Hiftojy.

4hg ifp, killed' the conful without ktiovWng-wHb \\6 wa^^
Thus fell one of the braveft' confals, and befl: citizcnsj
that Rome had ever producdd *•

In the main body, th^ Rombhs, though furroundcd otx
all fides, continued to fight in platoons-, arid'ihade a great
flaUghter of the enemy : biitbdingat letigtH 6ver-pbWcr-»
ed, and' dUheartened by the lefs of the t!wo proconfuls
Scrvillus and Attilius, who Headed them, thej difperfcd
and fled; and* the NumiUi^n hoffe, more fit fer a purfott
thin a pitched' battle,- cut' mod of tlieni th pieces. The
\frhole plain was covered with dead bodies f ihfomud^
that Hannibal ordered his riien tb defift. As for Teren*
tiusVarro, the author of all thefe misfoftiiiles, after Ac
Numidians had put the Wingfhfe commanded into confti-
fidn, he, without attempting to rally his men, fled toVdf
riiiBa >Vith onl]^ fev(*nty horfd. In this bit)ody aftion at
feaft fdrty-five Aolifand Romans wefe left dead upbn thfe
(yiot; ihcludiiig one confuI, two proconfuls, t\v6 military
qus^flers, t!wenty-nin6 legionary tribunes, artd foilrfcore
fenators or magiftratfes wh6 had a right of voting in tlfe
fcnate. Among the reft, Minutius was killedV who had
been general of the horfe under Fabius. Afbout feven-
teen thoufand' of the right Wiiig had fled tt^ the two
tamps, ten thoufand to the great canip; aiid fevcri thou-
fand to the other. The former having loft their officer^,
and expecting to be inverted next day, mvited the latter to
join t'heiW, that they might march away together in tfi^
night, and take refuge in Canufiuhl, a ftrbhg city nft
fat off. It was with fhe utmoft difficiiWy that Seifr-
^rdttius Tuditanus, a legitoAary tribunb,^ tX)uM prevail
tfpon' arty of thoft in thfe little camp to agree tb his prbpo?
ffifl, they hieing afraid, left the enemy fliould intercept'
thitti in palTing from one camp to the bfhcr : liowcvc^,
iKe byaVeft of them dre\^ up Into a curieas, tHat ik, m
th\C form of a wedge, matched oiit iii good order, and
arrived fbfe at the great can^^, where tl^cj^ jfeiAed their
fellow-foldiers, marched awdy before dafy-break,- »i4
^cached Cariufium in faffety ^

In the Carthaginian cartip the night ^Xras fpirit in ftaft-
ings an<i rejoicings. Hannibal bad nfdVer gufllid z 160ft
corfiplete or more feafonable ^ifttjry. As jboh- as' tfie day
retirt^ned, he beheld, with infinite faftisfeiSfion, the wholt
plain covered with Abihans, whp had fete A ffffiS in tRfe

• Pofyb. lib. ill. cap, ^5— 5^. tiv. Jib. XxiU pip% 4!^ 4§h Plut.
fn Fab. Appr^n. dc Pell, HanniB'. 3V3— 3*8. ' - \ tiv. ibid.

l^fi:ion, while, in furveying the field of I)^ttle^ lie found^
Uiat his lofi^ amounted to no more than four thoufana.
Gauls, fifteen hundred Africans and Spaniards, and about;
^o hundred horfe. He took, in the a£Hon and, in the!
purfuit, ten thoufan^ prifpners. Such a number o^
^nrghts are faid to have been found dead on the field, that
three bufhels of their ring$ were fcnt to Carthage. Im- .•
mediately after the vi£i:ory, Maherbal prefled Hannibal to,
n>arch dire^iy to Rome, and befiege that capital j but he
rejeAing that advice, Maherbal took the liberty to tell
bim, that he knew how tp conquer, but knew not hoMij
to ufe and improve his vidlories ". Hannibal continued*
on the field of battle, allowing the foldiers to drip the
.dead, and gather up the booty, which the Romans had
left on the plain. On this occaGori the Carthaginians,
among other fliocking objeQs, found a Numidian yet
alive, lying under .the dead body of a Roman, who had
thrown himfelf headlong on his enemy, and beat him-
down ; but being no longer able to make ufe of his wea^
pons, becaufe he had loft his hands, ^ad torn off the nofe
and ears of the Numidian with his teeth, and. in that fit
of rage expired''.

The Carthaginians, having ftript the.dead bodies of the ^^^ ^<«*
unhappy Romans, their viflorious^ general inveftcd the ^^*««
two camps, which he eafily made hipfelf mafter of, there f^f^'
being none in them btft wounded men, or ihofe who had
* not courage to retire with their companions to Canufium.
They all furrendered upon condition of paying ranfom,
and were allowed to march out with their cloaths^ hut
without arms.

Among thofe Romans who had fled to Canu(ium, were
ibur legionary tribunes ; and of thefe the foldiers cholb
two to be their chief commanders, homely, Appius Clau-
dius Pulchcr, and young Scipio, the fon of the proconful
in Spain, who was at this time but eighteen year^ of agf •
While Scipio was deliberating with his colleague what
meafures to take, notice was given hiqi, that the young ^^offgir*
DohiUty among the troops wereaffemhled in a.hQufc,.Qon- *«'*'^^'*
triving how to leave Italy,, and retire to foipe of thqfe ^^%[d.
kings who were friends t0 Rome, which they ^ave up for
>jk)ft. Upon this intimation the young tribune, filled with
zeal, took with him a band of foldiers, furprifed the
.towards, and| with hi( fword drawn, can^e ug to Cspqi-
)iu8 Metellus^ the author of this pernicious defign^ whom

f Llv. Jib* xxii. cap. 57. v Idem ibid,.

G g4 ' he

isi

The Roman Hiftory.

)ie iddrefled thus : ** I call the great Jupiter to witne(9|
t^at I will never depart my country, nor will I fuffer any
man to do it. This I folemnly fwear ; and do you, Cae*
cilius, either take the fame oath, or die/* The fear of
death made them all take the fame oath ; and then Scipio
j^cured them with a ftroiig guard*. Thus this young
Roman, whom we (hall afterwards fee honoured with the
glorious furname of Africanus, fignaiized his zeal for the
public welfare on his firft entering lipon public life. The
conful Terentius, fince his arrival at V^nufia, had been
joined by five thoufand of the fueitives. With thefe
troops he marched to Canufium, as (oon as he heard that
there wcre'fix thoufand more in that place, and joined
his own to them j fo that the whole had now the appear-
ance of a confular army ^.

In the mean time it was reported at Rome, that both
cohfuls were killed ; and that, of eighty-fcven thoufand
xnen ther^ was fcarce one left alive. Never was the city
Crt^aciU' filled with more terror. All the Roman conftancy was
ftirmaiioM ncccflary to prevent the fatal confequences of fo (hocking
ai Rme» a calamity ; for want of confuls the praetors affembled the
fenators, who could hardly give their opinions, being
fevcry moment interrupted by the cries of the people, and
the mrieks of the women, who lamented the lofs of their
hufbands, children, or fathers. As thecondud ofFabiusi
was now fully j unified by the defeat of Terentius, his
Miafurti counfel was liftened to and followed. He advifed them
iuktn after to fend to the Appiah and Latin Ways, horfenhen well
thtdrfiat inouhted, to learn from the fugitives the ftate of affairs;
f? C«««** what was become of the confuls ; to what place the re*
mainsof the army had retired ; where Hannibal was en-
camped ; what he was doing ; and what he defigned to
"do : that the women ihouldt bv decree^ be forbidden to
appear in public, and difturb tne city virith their outcries
and lamentations : that, when any courier arrived, he
iQiould be brought privately, and without any noife, to
the praetors : and that no perfon fbouid be fufFered to go
put of the city, left it it (hould be deferted. This advice
was applauded ; the crouds that filled the ftreets were
difpcrfed \ and each ftnator undertook to keep every thing
quiet in his own neighbourhood *. Such was the fitua-
^on of afiairs, when a courier arrived from Terentius
with letters^ importing that the Roman army had been

3t Liv. lib. xxiif cap. 53* r Idem ibid. C9p» 54* * Ideo|

The Roman H^oty. 457

iJefeatedj that iEmilius was flairr; that Tercntiuswas atCa^
nufium, employed in affembling the remains of the troops;
that about ten thoufand men of different corps had joined
bim, moft'of them without officers; that Hannibal was
ftrll encamped at Cannsp, and bufy in fixing the renfom^
4pf the prifoners he had taken.* At the fame time a yeflel
arrived from Sicily with letters from the praetor Otacilius,
jicquainting the fenatc, that a Carthaginian fquadron was
ravaging the coaft of Syracufe, and waiting for an oppor-
tunity to make a defcent. The confcript fathers, in the
midft of thcfe perplexities, behaved with incredible con-
ftancy, and, affembling daily, made the neceflary pre-
parations for the defence both of Italy and Sicily*.

Marcellus, a hero already honoured with an extraordi-
nary triumph, for having defeated the Gauls, and killed
their king in fingle combat, had been appointed praetor
of Sicily, and was now employed in equipping a fleet at
Oftia. But the fenatc ordered him from thence into MareeUus
Apulia, to take the qommand of the army at Canufium, appoinud
in the room pf Varro, who was recalled. Marcellus, pur- J^^^^^f^^
fuaot to-his orders, fet out immediately for Rome, and •''

from thence repaired to Canufium, where he found a
body of about fourteen thoufand men. Upon his arrival
Varro left Canufium, and returned to Rome (R).

As the prefent fituation of affairs required an abfolutc
magiftratc, the fenators, of their own authority, appoint-
ed M. Junius Pera, who had borne the offices of praetor, M. Junius
cenfor, and conful, to be diftator; and he chofe Tib. ^^^/^^^
3empronius Gracchus for his general of the horfe. Ju-
nius made it his whole bufinefs to put the army in a con-
dition to oppofe the viflkorious enemy. AH the young
Romans, above feventeen years of age, were obliged to
cnlift thcmfelvesj as were alfo thofe who had already
ferved their legal time. By thefe means four legions,

• Liv. lib. xxii. cap. 56.

(R) It IS almoft incredible, meet him, and thank him for

that the author of fo many, " not having defpaircd of the

both public and private ca- republic (i)/' Thcfenatcand

lamities, ihould be received people offered him the di£iator-

with rcfpc^ cither by the Ihip, which he refufed, and, by

fenate or people. All the fe- his roodeft refufal, wiped off, ,

nators in a body, attended with in foroe meafure, the (hame

crouds of people, went out to of his former behaviour (2).

(1) Plut. in Fab. LW* Ub. xxii. cap. 6i. (») Val. Max.

45*^

Slavis in «
liflid in the
Roman
troops*

fiUowj thi

ftomait

prijomrs

toredHm-

tkimjdvu.

The Roman Hiftory.

and ten thoufand horfe, were foon raifed in the city.
The allies of Rome, the colonics, and the n^unicipia,
ftitni(hed their contingents, as ufual. * To thefe were
added, out of the great number of ffaves in Rome, eight
thoufand of the youngeft and ftrongefti The republio
purchafed them ot their mafters, but did not oblige tben»
to ferve without their own confent^ which they gave,
ttrh'en afked, by anfwering, Volo, / am uHliing ; whenco
they were called voloncs, to diftinguiih them 'from the
other corps by a name lefs odious than that of fkves^ As
the Romans, after the lofs of fo mariy battles, had no
fwords, darts, or bucklers, left in their magazines, the
volpnes were fupplied with the arms which had been
formerly taken from the enemy, and hung' up in the pub-
lic porticoes and temples. The finances of Rx>me were
no lefs exhaufted ; but this defe6k wae fupplied by the
liberality of her citizens. The fenator^, ftewing the ex*
ampki were followed' firft by the knights, and^ afterwards
.by all the tribes, who, flripping themfclves of all the gold
they had, brought it to the pubKc treafury. A^ f5r the
filver coin, it w^ now for the firftrime alloyed mthcop«i
t)er, and the value of it raifed "»;

In the mean time Hannibal, wanting tnoney, gave the
Romari prifcners leave to redeem themfelve». The ran*
fom of each horfemen he fixed at five hundned denarii,
that is, fixteen pounds two Shillings and 'eleven pence 5. that
of cadi fbot-foldier at thre^ hundred, and of each fiave
at one hundred; As for the alRcs of Rbmei^ notwith<>
ftanding his want of money, he difmiffcd them, agreeable
to his former pradlrice, without ranfom^ The Boman
captives agreed tb fend ten of their body to negotiate
their redemption* at Rome ; and Hannibal required no
other fecurity for t^cir return, but their oath. Carthalo
was fcnt at the head of them' to make propefalsof peace
to the republic, which Hannibal imagined flie wojild be
glad to*^purchafe at any rate : but, upon the firft report
of Gartbalo's arrival tb treat of. a pea^^e, the dl£latarfent
a lidortohimi commanding him for^with to quit the
Homan territory. As for the ten deputies, the fenate,
^onfidcring them as foreigners fine«J Aeir captivity,^ did
not fufFer them to enter the city, but met' them without
the walls, to hear what they had to offer in behalf of
themfelves, and their fellbw-c^ptiyes. After a 'lyarm de-
bate, it v/as refolved, that no money ffiould be expended

^ Liv.Ub. xxii. cap. 5^, 5^. Flut» in Fab* Flee. lt^»iL

for

^e Roman I^jfory. ' 45<

for tHc redemption of thqfe unhappy men> \rho, it wa§ ^^^ ^^'
pretended, had afted the part of cowards, in not retiring ^^"^^^^^
with their fellow-foldiers to (^anufium. The prifoner§ their caf^
being thus left to the: mercy of the Carthaginians, he fent tivis*
the moft confiderable to Carthage, and of the reft made
gladiators, obliging them to fight with one another, even
relations with relations, for the entertainment of his ^

troops ^.

At length Hannibal left Cannse, and took his route to-
wards Cgmpfa, a city of the Hirpini, near the bead of ; ,
the Aufidus, which furrendered to him, and wasr the firft
that fell ofF from the Romans. From thence he turned
towards Capua, the inhabitants of which city, thinking
the time now come to ftiake off the Roman yoke,> and
recover their ancient liberty, fent deputies to treat with
Hannibal, who promifed them an entire liberty and in-
dependence. He, moreover, agreed to put into their
hands four hundred Roman knights, to be exchanged with
the fame number of Capuan youths that were in the fer-
yice of Rome. Upon thefe conditions tB& Capuans fur- S*^^*f
rendered their city to Hannibal. As to the Roman gar- j^^nibM,
rifon, the people contrived to fhut them up in the public
baths, where they were fuffocated. When Hannibal
made his entry, all the people crowded to meet him, ex-
cept Decius Magius, a friend of the Romans, and a fmall
number of the nobility, among whom was Perola,. the
fon of Pacuvius, who had been the chief author of tlie
revolt. Perola was afterwards obliged by his father to
pay his homage to Hannibal ; but as he bad imbibed the
fentimcnts of Magius, he afterwards* formed a defign to
ftab the Carthaginian general at an entertainment. But
Pacuvius, to -whom he imputed his intention, in hopes
of gaining bis confent, diffuaded him from it ; and Han-i ^
nibal efcaped this danger. Next day the fcnate of Capua
being affembled, Hannibal complained to them of the difc
afFeftion of Magius, who was thereupon delivered up to '
him loaden with irons, and by bis orders put on board a
Ihip bound for Carthage. The veflel being driven by a
ftorm into the port of Cyrene, a city belonging to the
king of Egypt, the illuftrious prifoner ran and embraced
the ftatue of Ptolemy Philopator. The Carthaginians not
daring to drag him from that fanftuary, he appealed to
the king, and was conduced to Alexandria, where Pto-
ieoi^ received him with great humanity, and gave ^ini

^ f Liv* lib. xxiii. cap* 58«-»6i.'

IcaTfl

46o

tius HoM'
itries 19 iht

0midf

/•W^-

Jtfdrmhtil
§rdtrid
i»/# Italy \

The Roman Hj/lofy*

leave to retom either to Capua, or to Rome ; but be chofe
to continue at Alexandria^ under the protection of his
deliverer *.

Hannibal difpatched his brother Mago to give an ac«
count at Carthage of his fuccefs. He acquainted the fe-
nate, that Hannibal, in fix pitched battles, had killed two
hundred thoufand Romans, and taken fifty thoufand pri-
foners ; and that the Apulians, Brutians, Lucanians, and
Campanians, had fubmitted to the Carthaginian domi-
nion. So much good fortune feemed incredible ; and
Mago was not believed, till he gave a glaring proof of it,^
by (preading abroad in the fenate-houfe a buQiel of rings,
taken from th^ Roman knights and fenators. Having
thus prepoffeflcd the fenate in favour of his brother, he
proceeded to folicit fuccours for him, that he might be
enabled to carry on fo fuccefsful a war. The requeft was
approved, and the Barcan faction triumphed. Himilco,
the bead of it, turning to Hanno, as it were to infult
him, " Well, (faid he), has the war turned to the difad-
vantage of our counUy ? Muft we deliver up Hannibal to
the Romans ?**

Hanno, notwithftanding tbcfe flattering appearances,
made a very fenfible fpcech, recommending peace wiih
the Romans, who, notwithftanding all thofe defeats, had
as yet betrayed no figns of defpondency, nor made the
leaft advance towards a fubmifiion to the vidor. But,
maugre all his remonftrances, an immediate fupply of
four thoufand Numidians, forty elephants, and a thou-
fand talents of filver, were, by a plurality of voices, de-
creed for the army in Italy •.

At the fame time, a commiffioner was fent with Mago
into Spain, with powers to raife levies, to be equally di-
vided between the Carthaginian armies in Spain and Italy.
Afdrubal, who had juft obtained a fignal vidlory over the
revolted Spaniards, and fubdued the country of the Car-
petani, was ordered to leave Spain, and march with his
army to the afliftance of his brother in Italy. In his room
Himilco was fent into Spain, with a competent army, and
a fufficient number of gallies, to maintain the dominion
of the feas. In the mean time the two Scipios, hearing
that Afdrubal was advancing towards the Iberus^ in his
way to the Pyrenees, and knowing of what dangerous
'confequences it would be for Rome, that Hannibal fliould

* Plut. in Hannibal. Liv. lib. axiiii cap. i— >9«
fib* xxiiL cap. isr"'3' ' . '

« Lir.
feceir^

fhe Roman Hjftory.

4(5«

thi tWQ

and pri*
ffmrsfir
Mi, in*
li/eJai

receive fo ftrong a reinforcement, rcfolved to oppofe his
paflage. With this view they pafled that river; and, hav-
ing brought Afdrubal to a general engagement, gained a Utudi*
viftory, which prevented the Carthaginian for fome years f gated in
from penetrating into Italy, Thus the two Scipios, by ^^«« h
their vidorics, and prudent conduft, in Spain, made
Rome amends for the loffes flie fuftained in Italy ^

The diftator Junius, and the fenate, encouraged by the
news they received from Spain, carried on their prepara-
tions for the next campaign with great expedition, while
Hannibal was lofing his time at Capua, captivated with
the bewitching pleafures of that place. The diflator re-
leafed from prifon all criminals, and'perfons confined for
debt, who were willing to enlift themfelves. Of thcfe
he formed a body of fix thoufand foot, arnied with the
broad fwords.and bucklers which had been formerly taken
from the Gaiils. Then the Roman army, to the num-
ber of about twenty-five thoufand men, compofed, of
citizens, flaves, and criminals, marched out of Rome,
tinder the command of the diflator «• The remains of
Varro's army, about fifteen thoufand men, were kept by
Marcellus at' Cafiljnum, in readinefs to march whenever
there Ihould be occafion. At length Hannibal began to"
move from Capua, in order to fubdue the reft of Campa-
nia : he made a fruitlefs attempt upon Neapolis, and
then turned towards Nola ; but thfe inhabitants of that
city were kept fteady by the prefence of Marcellus, who,
leaving Cafilinum, paffed the Vultumus, croffed the
mountains of Suefiala with incredible expedition, and un-
cxpeftedly appeared before Nola *». Then the Carthagi-
nian, after having made another unfuccefsful attempt
upon Neapolis, fell upon Nuceria, which, for want of
provifions, was obliged to capitulate. From Nuceria he
returned to Nola, with a defign to befie^e it, Marcellus
. having Ihut himfelf up in the place with all his troops.
The inhabitants were much inclined to favour Hanni«
bal ; and their affedion for the Carthaginian was cherifhed
by a young man of known valour, and great intereft
among the people, named Bantius. He^ad ferved in thQ
Roman armies with credit, and fignalized hinifelf at the
battle of Cannx, fighting near the conful iEmilius, till,
being covered. with vtrounds, he dropped down on the
field of battle, where he was found next day^ and brought

f Liv, lib, xxiiit cap. s6, aj. f Uv. ibidt cap* 14. ^ Idem*
ibid*

to

HamiiM
takes Nw'
ieria*

46z . ^^ Rdptan Ifjfiorjji*:

to HaonibaK As none of ,}^is jwoimd^ j^ov^A .jnpfbiyV
H^Pinbal, underftandipg that be w<a$ a :native. oi ^pla^
took ^reat care of hiiPi and, wheniheivas ogiEed, fent
him \^qmt without ranfom. This geziprc^ty 'lfa4 i^s due
ej9^<^^ on the jiiiudof Bantiu$. .He^^ti^n^ed tp ,Nc4^
wholly in the Carthaginian intereft^.i^n^^ained prer^n^^n^f
of the chief citizens to his. party. Marceilus coukl^Jbave
t^&lj d^ftroyed .Jjirai* but be cbpfc rather to gun^hfm
over. One d^ay, when be qanoe ,to .wait on lyiarcejlji^i
tbe^Rpman, pretending not.to .kiiaw bimya^edjhis^^q^^.
•*Mypame (replied the youj:^ wanior, witb a, gi;e;^t4f al
of jrxjodefty) is Bantius." " .What ! are ,you the,fcMcnQi4»
S^ntius, (anfwcred the general) .fo much x^lebr^^.at
^me ? I have often beard oif y^QU. It wais not your f^^t
tbat ar Hainan consul fell into the. enemy *s h^n^d^- :M^W
tnu€Kbk)od did you'lofe in.eiQd^avouring to.fs^ye)b]3 Jj|&?
What pl^fure is it tp me,, to fee and e^ibracse a 4ipiif0
man, ^^ho dpes hono^ur to his cQuntry^ and may be the
means of faving* ]^j;)^e P' Tben Marcellus to. embgi^^^
added prefents, and . rekindled in his heart bis.atf^ch*
ment to Rome. The recovery of this man broifght s^aoy
Nojans over t;o Marcellus, who was infori^^d by ti^^np^i
all l;be fecrets of the Carthaginian, party ^

This was the. fit;uatioa of aflairs^^t Nala,.wh^>]^a,9ni^

l^al appeaf^d befojre it, xu>t doubting U^at be ih^uM fq/cm

bcoome^mafleripf a place, in which be,;had,all th^pogu-

lace,, and moft of the nobiUty, on his. fidc^ But^Marcel-i

lus havings, by. fou^d ,pf trumpet, forbid ^x>y of. the citi*

zc;ns to apprpach the ramparts, or even.Ieave tbdir;bou&s,

Uarcelfus ^^ P'"^ ^^ dpath, fallied out at three fevqral gates»'.feUr

gains an \inexpc6^edly upon Uannibal> killed five thqui^nd of - fa^^

advantage inen,.,and,pbliged the reft to retire in confufion. Iiirtbis

*T') ^^''" ai^ipn, ..whic;h revived, the, cquffige of the Rpojans, by

'^ ^ ' ihQwing them that H^i>nibfil was npt invipcible, ithc .ii^m-

ber pf the,. killed on. the fide pf the ^qiitians ^^i^ouAted

only tp five hundred. Tbis;ch(epk.wi|S;;a|,ff[^pWe ^i^cirti*

lipaupn to Hgnnibal, ,who tb^rc^pon left -Nqla, js^

|jj^cb«d ^o Accf rae, aXinallciXyjin that jnftighbWbftod >

but the Acer^a^i, , upon,, his approaf;h, .abaofl<|pfd.ji^r

boyfesjiand retired, w^h tbeir*rooft Vf^lvable^|fe£^6,f,|o

thofe cities in Qamp^nia .Mi^bicb ^ontiaued faithful tq^e

IlDm;^os.

I'lbq.C^tbagi^iaf ,.,ba»{Rg fi>^e,bimfelf M^^i^ktif^
empty city of ;Acerr3e, in order to recover bis reputation^

i Liv.'lib. xxUi. cap. i5f 179 18, Pluti in Mtrccll*

111H

The Roman f^ory'. 46^

^iettoilk the • fiege of Cafiiinufn^ . ac ftf ong tomi 00 tlNe Hannibat
ifeanks of the Vulturnus, thinking it was garriibncd fay Jf%'' -
'Catnpaniims; bttt a body of Praeneftines^ having found ^^«***^«
'the inh»bitaiitt», as they paffed through their city, waver^-
>ihg in their fidelity to RoiHe^ maffaered them in .the
^-m^ty andf iMsdrefibd thenafi^es: of the MraUs. -Thefe had

been afterwards reinforced by about four bimilred Peru-
^anS from Hetruria, and a fmall »mhber «f Icatins land
'Romans. As they ware :all men of ^bravery and pefolu-
f tidn, * t*hey madei foch a vigorous defence, diat II^Qnibdi
vwa« obliged, after Several fruitkfs attempts, to turn- the fumrrftf
.fiegeiitito a? blockade- Having therefore left part of ins/^iatos
• troc»p*in:lihe camp, as: winter now approached, he^quar- ^^^^^^^*
tiered the reft in; the iPiibges aiid open places of .C^mpa-
Miia, whilettho took .up bis re&dence in the voluptuous city

of Capua, wfectfche imbibed a rclifli for plcafur^, which Hannibaf
ibrought him>ta a level -with the reft of mankind. The ener*uates
t}efs<he had bccn^ufed to an effeminate life, the mofe he ^«A(^«*
i«N9iw 4it^t»lged Mnvfeif in* it, fpendtng moft part of his ^^^"^
*>time infeafting and revelling with the Capui^n iK*0£n<^n.
IHewas more frequendy feen, fays Valerius Maximus ^^
>amottg theyooDg debauchees, in a public place eaUod
*Se|>lafia, than in bis camp before CafiHnum. Seplafia

was a public p4aee in. Capua, wlithen all the debauchees
«refoFted ; arid any Roman, for barely appearing in it,

would have J been counted infamous ^. Thus Gapua
^i>pro««d more! fatal to Hannibal than Cannae to the Ro-
.mans. All the ancients reproach him more for the life
--he Idd^at Capua, than for his Having neglected to befiege
^ilmne> after the battle of Cannae. The example of the
•general infefted the folrfiery \ infomueh that, when he led
•♦'them again in the fprlng to the fiege- of Cafilinum, he
'found 'them quite altered, and impatient of nrilitary toils^
•They were fallowed by troops of difiblute women; anid>
..thinking it a >hardfliip to live inr^ tents, they deiertcd m

crowds, and returned to Capua, and the other plaoes in
' Campania, whiere they had ipent the winter fo mucbta

their iatisfaAion. Hannibal, infteadof attempting t»
J^ftorm the befieged town, endeavoured ta reduce it. by fa-
--mine ; and iiideed the garrifon was brought to the .ut-'
^-moft extremity for -want of procvifions. Two Roman ar-
^^Mies were withiif reach of the pUu^, hut neither ittia
-condition to relieve it. The di£bitor Junius was foon re*
- ^Ued to -Rome^ to confuit > new unfpices ; aod had fo(lud>

^ VM« Max» libpix^vcap. J. i Vide Qio ia Fifooem*

Wfof^

464

Bra*vt di'
fiaci •/ thi

Kiducid

mity.

Obligidto

capitulate^

Pitilia

likewtfe

teJien.

^he Roman Htfldfy.

before his departure, Sempronius, fais general of "the
borfe, to undertake any thing during his abfence. Th6
brave Marcellus was willing to relieve the befieged at all
events \ but the inhabitants of Nola would not fufier him
to leave them, imagining, that the blockade of CafiUnum
was only a feint, and, that Hannibal's real aim was to re-i<
♦duce their city.

In the mean time, the gafrifon of CafiUnum were
fcarce able to carry their arms : many of them, to aYoid
periflii^g with hunger, or falling into Hannibars hands,
put an end to their unhappy lives. Sempronius, greatly
affed^ed with their diftrefs, endeavoured to relieve tbem,
by throwing firll barrels of meal, and afterwards nuts,
into the Vulturnus, which ran through the town. This
artifice being difcovered, and all ipethods of fupplying
the city entirely (lopped, Hannibal fummoned the garri-
fon to furrender ; but thofe brave men, preferring death
to ilavery, would not hearken to his fummons, though
their hunger did not fuffer them to fpare any anii^
whatfoever, not even rats \ at length they pulled off* the
fkins of their bucklers, foftened them in water, and lived
upon them with great frugality ; laftly, to give the enemy
a proof of their conftancy and refolution, they plowed up
the ground near their houfes, and fowed it with pulfe.
When Hannibal heard this circumftance, he cried out,
" What, then [ do the befieged defign to keep me here
till their feed is come to maturity ?" From that time he
fhewed himfelf inclined to confent to a capitulation,
which was foon agreed to by both parties, on this condi-
tion, that the freemen ihould be allowed to march out of
the town, upon their paying feven ounces of gold a*head ""•
Thus Hannibal made himfelf mafter of CafiUnum, after a
long blockade, during which the Prseneftines and Peru-
fians exhibited proofs of aftonifliing refolution. The in-
habitants of Petilia, a city in the country of the Brutians,
which Hannibal befieged next, gave him as much trouble
as the garrifon of Cafilinum ; but was taken at laft, the Ro-
mans not being in a condition to fend tbem fuccours \

As the beft part of the Roman nobility had loft their lives
in the war, the fenators began to think of filling up the va-
cant places in the fenate ; and, becaufe there were then no
cenfors, they ordered Terentius Varro to nominate fome
perfon, who had been formerly cenfor, to be a fecond dic-
tator, whofe o$ce ihouid be wholly confined. to. this pro-
vince.. Terentius, named M. Fabius Buteo, the oldeft of

1% 'l.iv« lib. xxiil, cap. 19.

« Ibid. cap« 10*

the

^he Roman Hiftory.

tlic former -cenfors ; but did hot allow him a general of
the horfe. Fabius difcbairgcd his office with great pru-
dence ; for he firft chofe to the fenatorial dignity all thofe,
who, fince the laft cenfors, had obtained curule magiftra-
cies 5 then thofe, without exception, who had been tri-
bunes of the people,/ plebeian sediles, or quxftors ; and
laftly, fuch as had diftinguiftied themfelves in the army^
or obtained any military rewards from Iheir generals.
Thus a h)indred and feventy-feven new fenators were creat-
ed without jealoufy, complaints, or contention; and the
di£lator had no fooner read the lift to the pe^ople than
he abdicated his dignity, highly applauded by all ranks o£
men *.

The.fenate being thus filled up, the next bufmefs waa
to choofe confuls for the enfuing year. Sempronius Grac-
chus, general of horfe to the diftator Junius, and Pofthu-
mius Albinus, who commanded a body of troops in Cifal-
pine Gaul, were raifed to the confulate. After the elec-
tion of the confuls, the praetors, and other officers of
ftate, were appointed ; but in all thefe promotions Mar-
cellus, notv/ithftanding the glory he had lately acquired,
was entirely forgot, through the jealoufy, as fome wri-
ters Conjefture, of the difbator Junius, who prefided at
the eleAion of the new magiftrates. The eleftions being
over, the diflator returned to his camp ; but the conful
Sempronius continued in Rome to regulate with the fe-
nate the operations of the approaching campaign. In
the mean time, news were brought to Rome, that Poft-
humius Albinus, who was juft raifed to the confulate a
third time, had been cut off with all his army by the Boii
in a vaft foreft, called by the Gauls, the foreft of Litana,
which he had been obliged to crofs. Upon this intelli-
gence the conful Sempronius, having affembled the fe-
nate, endeavoured to raife their dejefted fpirits, advifing
them, among other things, to withdraw all their forces
from Gaul and other countries, and employ them againft
Hannibal, the fource of all their evils. ** If we can drive
Hannibal out of Italy, (faid he), the rebellious nations
will be foon reduced." This advice was followed, and
all the troops of the republic ordered into the provinces
near Hannibal. The army which the dictator Junius had
commanded was given to the conful Sempronius. Mar-
cell us's army, which confifted of thofe who had cfcaped

4^5..

PoJIhumtus
AlbinuSi
with a Ro*
man arnrf^
cut in
pieces iy
thi Boiu

Vol. X.

* Lir. lib. xxiii. cap. *«, S3.
Hh

the

464

is eUaed
ftm/ml J

M abdi*

ral Roman
armies and
^ €ommand*

The Roman Hijimy.

tbe general {laughter at Cannx, wa6 commanded into Si*
cily, to continue there as long as the war ihould hit in
Italy. In exchange for them, the two legions, which had
hitherto ferved in Sicily, were ordered to Italy, to fem
under the conful, whom the centuries were foon to ap-'
point in the room of Pofthumius, who had been killed by
the Boil. Tercntius Varro, notwithftandihg his late
mifcondaf):, was entrufted with the command of ao army
in Apulia, with tbe charaOer of proconful ".

When the time came for elcdting a new conful, the
tribes unanimoufly chofe Marcellus, notwithftanding the
intrigues of Sempronius, who, fearing he might be eclipt
ed by the extraordinary merit of that great man, had kept
him out of the way. However, a ftorm, attended with
dreadful claps of thunder, happening to rife during the
aflembly, it is incredible with what greedinefs the augun
feized this accident, to declare, that the eleSion of Mar-
cellus was not agreeable to the gods. Marcellus was a
plebeian, as was alfo his colleague Sempronius ; and the
patricians, unwilling to fee two plebeians confuls at the
fame time, influenced the augurs to pronounce the ele^
tion of Marcellus difagreeable to the gods. But the peo-
ple would not have acquiefced In the declaration of the
augurs, had not Marcellus (hewed himfelf on this occafion
as zealous a republican as he was a great commander; for
he refufed to accept the fafces, though offered .him by the
body of the people; faying, that he had rather lead a
private life than enjoy the greateft honoiirs in the repuh-
lic, contrary to the will of the gods, and the inclination
of any of his fellow-citizens. The famous Fabius Man-
mus was chofen in his room, and raifed a third time to
the confulate *.

While the republic was bufy in making thefe ele3ions»
and preparations for purfuing the war, Hannibal made
himfelf mafter of Confentia on the Crathis, of Crotona,
Locri, and feveral other cities in Great Greece. The
Romans, therefore, took the field. Fabius put bimfelj
at the head of thofe troops which the late diftator had
commanded. Sempronius took the command of the new
levies made at Rome, confiding moftly of flaves, to whom
were added twenty-five thbufand auxiliaries. The pr«tof
Laemus was ordered to cover Apulia with two legions-

n Liv. lib. xxiii. cap. S4| i$.
in Alarcell.

• Liv,ibid. cap. 31. ^^^

Marcclto

The Roman Hijloty,

46?

Mafcdltis was appointed to command the troops with
which he had defended Nola ; but fuch among them as
hadefcaped from the battle of Cannae, were fent over to
Sicffy, their room being fupplied by two legions from that
iftand. Laftly, Terentius Varro led an army into Pice-
num to defend that country, and raife recruits.

Campania being now the feat of war, the Camp^nians,
who had efpoufed fte caufe of Hannibal, raifed ah army
6f fourteen thoufand men, and pats^Marius Alfins at the
head of it. His firft attempt was upon the city of Cu-
mae, which adhered to the Romans. The Cumsean fena-
tors, and thofe of the other cities of Campania, ufed an-
nually to meet at a place called Hamae, not far from
CuTnae, to perform a folemn facrifi'ce, and deliberate upon
the general affairs of the province. Alfius formed a ^htconful
fcheme for furprifing on this occafion the fenators of ^^^^''^''W
Cumse ; but they fufpefting his defign, gave notice of it ^Ca/^Ja*
to the conful Sempronius, who, as he lay within fix nians*
miles of them, attacked the Campanian army in the
night, killed two thoufand^ among whom was theig^
leader Alfius, and put the reft to flight. However, atf»'
Hannibal was not far diftant, Sempronius, unwilling to
cxpofe his unexperienced troops to the danger of a battje,'
immediately retired, and (hut himfelf up in Cumae, which
Hannibal inverted ; but was obliged to raife the fiege,
after he had loft thirteen hundred men in that unfuc-
ccfsful attempt. At the fame another Sempronius,
fumamed Longus, who commanded a body of troops in
Lucania, gained a confiderable viftory over Hanno ; and
Laevinus retook three cities in the country of the Hir-
pini, which had revolted' to Hannibal p. During thefe AUianct
tranfaftions, ambafladors from Philip king of Macedon ^^j^/f»
to Hannibal being intercepted, and fent to Rome, the \i^^^^f[
fenate found, that a treaty of alliance ofFen five and de- and Han»
fenfive was aftually concluded between the Macedonian nibuL
and Carthaginian. In order, therefore, to keep the for-
mer out of Italy, liaevinus was ordered to embark atTa-
rentum, fail for Macedon, and find king Philip employ-
ment at home.

Fvibius, who had hitherto continued quiet in his camp
at Cale, being apprifed that his rival's rcmiflhefs was not
feigned, as he had imagined, but real, boldly pafled the
Vultumus, and, croQing a large plain near Mounc^ifata^

P Liv* lib, xxiii. cap. 33, 35.

Hh »

on

468

The Roman Hiflory.

No fa i«-

ijeflfdby
Hannibal,

on which Hannibal was encamped, joined his colleagotf
Sempronius at Cumae. On the other hand Marcellus,
who was encamped at Nola, made daily incurGons into
the country of the Hirpini and Samnites, who had revolted
to Hannibali committing dreadful devaftations. The
Samnites, furprifed to find Hannibal fo inadlivc, and fo
little zealous in their defence, fent deputies, and, by their
repeate'd complaints, prevailed upon him to come to their
afHdance. Upon his approach Marcellus retired behind
the walls of Nola, which Hannibal immediately invefted
with his whole army. After he had, for fome days, bat-
tered the walls with incredible fury, Marcellus, thinking
it lefs dangerous to engage the enemy in the open field
than in the narrow (Ireets of Nola, the walls being already
half ruined, refolved to put the whole to the iflue of a
general a£lion. Accordingly he marched out with his
men in good order ; and, after having obliged the Cartha-
ginians, who were carrying on the fiege, to retire to their
camp, which was about a mile from the city, he formed
his fmall army in the plain between it and the Carthagi-
nian camp. Hannibal could not perfuade himfelf that
Marcellus, whofe forces were fo much inferior in number "
to his own, really defigned to hazard a battle ; however, m
affer having encouraged his men 'with a ftxort 'harangue,
in which he treated the Romans ^ with the utmoft con-
tempt, he advanced bolJlly, liot doubting but the enemy
would retire, at the fight of his army in battalia, behind
the walls of the city. He was, therefore, greatly fur-
prifed, when he faw the Romans not only (land their
ground, but, at the very firft onfetj put his advanced
guard into diforder. Marcellus had armed his infantry
with long pikes, ufed only at fea, and chiefly in boarding
(hips, and taught them how to manage this new kind of
weapon, in order to keep the enemy at a diftance ; fo
that the Carthaginians, who carried only fliort javelins,
"''^^A d ^'^^^"g ^^ impoffible to hurt the Romans, while they
iJ/ ' themfelves were pierced through with their long pikes,
began to retire, and to fave themfelves by flight to their
camp. Marcellus purfued them clofe, killed five thou-
fand, and took fix hundred prifonerSj nineteen ftandards,
and two elephants, which, with fome others, had been
lately fent from Carthage. Marcellus loft about a thou-
fand men, who were trod down by the Numidian horfc,
hoaded'by Hannibal in perfon ^.

Marcellus
defeats
Hannibal
in a
battle.

1

4 Liv. lib« xxiii. cap. 45, 46..

The

A body of
Hattttibats
befl horfe
difert to
the Ro-
mans •

The Roman Hiflory. 46^

The Romans^ encouraged by this advantage, afked
leave of their general to attack Hannibal's camp ; but the
wife Marcellus, without attending to their requcft, found-
ed a retreat, and returned to Nola, which he entered
amidft the acclamations of the citizens. After this de-
feat, Hannibal had the farther mortification to be aban-
doned by twelve hundred and feventy-two of his bed
horfe, partly Spaniards and partly Numidians, who had
crofled the Alps with him. Some difcontent was the oc-
cafion of their defertlon; but they gave out, that the
efteem they had conceived for the Romans induced then>
to quit the fervice of their enemies. Be that as it will,
they continued ever after faithful to the republic, and did
her important fervlces 5 for which they Were, in their old '
age, rewarded wijth lands in their own countries, when
the Romans had conquered Africa and Spain. Hannibal
was fp touched with the reproach which this defertion of
his old companions in victory threw upon him, that heJeft
Campania, and, retiring into Apulia, encamped near
Arpi. He was no fooner gone than Fabius, drawing
near to Capua, laid waftethe whole country about it, and *'

then encamped at Sueflula, within reach of Naples arid
Nola, in order to fuccour them in cafe they (hoiild be
attacked. Winter approaching, Fabius, either out of
jealoufy, or to leffen the expences of the republic, ordered
Marcellus to difband his army, and to leave in Nola! only
a fufficient garrifon to defend it. Marcellus obeyed, but
(did not go to Rome with his difbanded troops, choofing
rather to ftay at Nola than to be importuned at Rome by
his mends, who were for his foliciting the coiifulate in
the next eleftion. As he had contributed more to the
glory of the republic, and the (Jifcredit of Hannibal, than
all the generals of Rome, or even Fabius, he was refolved
to owe his promotion to his merit and fervices ; and there- . .
fore, difdaining to offer himfelf as a candidate in the co-
mitia, or to court the favour of the people, he fpent the
winter in tranquility iit Nola •.

During thefe tranfaftions in Italy, the praetor, Manlius Sardinia
Torquatus, defeated the Sardinians, who had revolted, om morg
though affifted by an army fent from Carthage, under reductd.
the command of Afdrubal, furnamed the Bald : he killed
twelve thoufand of the enemy upon the fpot, took Afdru-
bal, with Hanno and Mago, his^ chief officers, prifoners^

* I'iv. lib* xxiii. cap. 46. Zonar. lib. ix. cap. 3.]

Hh 3

and

470

AfJrubal
deftatedm

Fabius
Maximus
Ani Mar-
celtus ek^'
idconjuls*

^he Roman Hijlory.

and reduced the whole ifland. 'The two Scipios were
equally fucccfsful in their wars in Spain, where, with an
army only of fixteenthoufand men, they gained a vidlory
over Afdruhal, whofe forces amounted to the number of
fixty thoufand *. But the accounts which the fenate re-
ceived from Sicily, were not fo fatisfaftory. King Hiero,
who had continued faithful to the republic for fifty years
together, had lately ended his days, and was fucceeded
by his grandfon, Hieronymus, who, having infulted the
Roman ambaffadors, made a treaty of alliance with the
Carthaginians, and was entirely governed by their coun-
fels. This defetlion gave no fmall uneafinefs to the
fenate, who ordered new levies to be raifed and fent into
Sicily ".

Mean while, the confular year being almoft expired, Fa-
bius returned to Rome, to prefide at the eleftion of the
new confuls. On the day appointed the tribes aflembled,
and the majority of the firft tribe that voted, nominated
to the confulfhip T. Otacilius and M. ^milius Regillus,
both men of merit, but not of fuch abilities as the prefent
neceffities required* Fabius, therefore, interrupting the
^leftion for a fhort time, exhorted the tribes to choofe
fuch confuls as they would name, if they were to appoint
two generals to give Hannibal battle. As to thofe they had
already named, he told them, that he could not be fo par*
tial to them, as to think them capable of oppofing with
fuccefs, the crafty and experienced African. He then
ordered the firft tribe to return to the voting-place, and
give their fufFrages anew. Otacilius, who was nearly re-
lated to Fabius, made, at firft, fome oppofition to this
propofal ; but the lidors, furrounding him with their
axes, foon forced him tabe filent. Then the tribes una-
nimoufly chofe Fabius himfelf, and Claudius Marcellus,
though abfent ^. Rome' had never feen two greater men
together at the head of affairs. Fabius had, indeed, by
an irregular method of proceeding, contributed to his
own. continuance in the confular dignity, contrary to law
and cuftom ; but yet no one accufed him of ambition
or tyranny, or imagined him aftuated by any other mo*i
tive than that of zeal for his country. The firft ftep
the new centals took, was to raife fix legions, to be added
to the twelve already on the eftabliftiment* As the Sici-
lian expedition fedmed to require .moft difpatch, Otacilius

tLiv. lib. xxiii cap. a6. « Idem. lib. xxiv. cap. 4—6.

w Idem ioid. cap. 8.

^ was

The Roman Hiftory^ » 4jt

was ordered to embark with all expedition for that ifland.
lii order to equip a fleet for that fervice, each head of ^
family, worth from fifty thoufand to a hundred thoufandl
afes, was obliged to maintain a. rower or failor, at his
own expence, for fix mphths ; and the more wealthy were
taxed at three, five, or feven, in proportion to their riches*
The fenators obliged themfelves to maintain eight men,
each for one year J fothata fleet was foon manned and
c<iuipped without being any ways chargeable to the. re-
public ''.

The Capuans, alarmed at the extraordinary number of Hannibal
the forces of the republic commanded by fo many able ge- returns inf
nerals, recalled Hannibal, who, quitting Apulia, and re- Ctf/p/Awi^,
turning to his camp on Mount Tifata, ordered Hanno,
at the head of feventeen thoufand foot, and twelve hun-s^
dred horfe, to feize Beneventum : but Sempronius, by
the direftion of Fabius, having reached that city before
the Carthaginian, made himfelf matter of it, and then
marched to meet Hanno, in order to give him battle*
Sempronius's army con fitted moftly ofvolones; and the
general, in order to engage them to exert themfelves^

Sromifed every man his freedom who fliould bring off the
ead of an enemy, the fenate having impowered him to
fet at liberty fuch flaves as he (hould find worthy of that
reward* No foldiers ever fliewed a. greater eagernefs to
engage anenemy than thd volones did after Sempronius
had made them this promife. They ranged themfelves
round the praetorium by break of day, foliciting the ge-
neral to lead them againtt the enemy, that they might de-
liver themfelves from flavery either by death or viftory*
Sempronius did not fuflFer their ardour to co^l, but imme- Sempronitu
diately led them into a neighbouring plain, through which advances
Hanno was to pafs, as Sempronius had been imformed, ^^'"^^
on his march to Beneventum, not knowing that the Ro- ^'*""* «
mans were already matters of that city. Accordingly,
the Roman army were fcarce drawn up, when Hanno ap-
peared at the head of feventeen thoufand foot, mottly
Brutians and Lucanians, and twelve hundred Numidian
horfe. The Carthaginian advanced in good order into the
plain, not doubting but he fliould foon put to the rout a
handful of flaves accuttomed to tremble, as he told his
foldiers, at the voice of their matters. In the mean time
the trumpets founded, and the attack began with incrc-

"* Liv. lib, xxiv. cap. ii. Val. Max. lib, v. cap. 6.

dible

47»

mnddrfeaU
km.

MaretUus
g/iius an
adijantagi
p*uer Han'
nibal*

The Roman Htfiotyi

diWc fary on both fides. The rolones fought with great
bravery ; but the promife Sempronius made them had like
to have occafioned an entire defeat of his army. He had
promifed liberty to fuch only as carried o(F the head of
an enemy : as foon, therefore, as any of them had dif-?
patched his antagonift, he made it his whole buCnefsto
^ut off his head, and loft a great deal of time in that
butchery* Befides, the ardor of thofe who had performed
the condition on which they were to obtain Jtheir liberty,
immediately abated ; fo that Sempronius was forced to
publiih a new declaration through all the ranks of his
army,. ** That none (hould obtain their liberty unlefs the
Carthaginians were routed,*' Upon this intimation the
brave ilaves renewed the fight with frefti vigour, and
gained fo complete a viflory, that fcarce two thoufand of
the enemy efcaped. Sixteen thoufand^of them were killed
cither on the field of battle, or in the camp, which the
volones forced, after they driven them out of the plain.
Four thoufand of Sempronius's (laves did not behave fo
well as the reft, being afraid to purfue the enemy to their
camp : thefe, afhamed of their cowardice, retired, after
the battle, to a high mountain, for fear of becoming the
jeft of their companions. Sempronius fent a tribune to
invite them back ; and then, to perform his promife, de-r
clar^d th'em all free without exception : however, to make
fome diftinftion between the brave and the cowards, he
obliged the latter to take their meals ftanding, all the
time they were in the fervice *.

In the mean time Hannibal, leaving his camp on Mount
Tifata, took his route to Nola, invited thither by the
populace, who were ftill in his intereft, in oppofition to
the fenate. Marcellus, receiving timely notice of his
march, followed, and coming up with him near that city,
killed two thoufand of his men, with the lofs only of four
hundred. The Romans would, in all likelihood, have
given him a total overthrov^, had Claudius Nero, whom
the conful had detached with a body of horfe to take a
hrgQ compafs, and fall upon the Carthaginians in the rear
during the aftion, come up in time. Marcellus offered
Hannibal battle next day, but he declined it, and decamp-
ed in the night, laying afide all thoughts of taking Nola,
which had fo often proved fatal to his glory y. From Nola
he led his army to Tarentum, where fome Tarentine pri-

i

* Liv. lib. xxiv. cap. 14— 'i^.

r Id« ibid. cap. 17.

{ontt$%

The Roman HiJiQry^ . 473

fonerSi whom he had formerly fent home without ranfom,
had engaged many young men' in his intereft : but the
propraetor, Laevinus, who guarded that coaft, took fuch ef-
fedxual meafures to prevent the defigns of the fadious, that
* the Carthaginian, being again difappointed, abandoned the
cnterprize, and took the road to Salapia, a city in Apulia,
with a defign to, fpend the winter there. As the feafon was Fabius
not yet far advanced, Fabius undertook the fiege of CzCi'*heJUges
linumj which was garrifoned by two thopfand Campa- C'l^jww.
nians, and feven hundred Carthaginians, under the com-
mand of a Capuan of diftinfiion, named Statius Metius.
*rhe confulhad no foonef invefted the place, than Ma-
gius, praetor of Capua, which was but two miles from
Cafilinum, formed a ftrong body of troops, and armed
even the flaves, with a defign to attaclc the Rpmans in
their trenches. Fabius, receiving intelligence of thefe
prepai^ations, wrote to his colleague Marcellus, either to
come in perfon, or to fend the praetor Sempronius with
two legions, to cover the fiege. In confequence of this
demand, Marcellus, leaving only two thoufand men in
Nola (for Hannibal was thei^ in winter-quarters, in Apu*
lia), marched with the reft of his army to jpin Fabius.
And now the two greateft generals of Rome adled together
for the firft time, the one carrying on the fiege, and .the
other covering it with an army, ready to engage Hanni-
bal, or the Capuans, in cafe they ihould attempt to re-
lieve the place.

The garrifon made fo vigorous a defence, that Fabius,
xlifcouraged by the daily llaughter of his men, would
have railed the fiege, had not Marcellus prefled him to
purfue it 5 an advice which he followed with fuch vigour,
that the Campanians, having loft all hopes of being re-
lieved either by Hannibal, or their praetor Magius, fent
deputies to Fabius, alking leav# to march out of the
place, and return to Capua. The cbnful confented to what
they ^aiked, knowing it would not be long before the city
furrendered, when defended only by a fmall number
of Carthaginians : but Marcellus, watching the time
when the Campanians were to march out of the city,
feized the gate before fifty of them were out, and en-
tering the place, put all who oppofed him to the fword, Cafilinum
without diftindlion. Thofe who threw down their arms, ^f^^^ ^
whether Capuans, or Carthaginians, were made prifoners ^^^^^
of war, and fent to Rome, Marcellus pretending that he
was not obliged to obferve the agreement made by his

colleague.

A

,#..

47+

Aetna
tmhnk.
jHiHg Fa-'

Jurprifts
the camp »/
lh« king of
MacedoH.

ftht into
Sicifyt

The Roman S^ory. '

colleague. Fabius, be»ng now mailer of Cafilinum^ laid
wafte great part of Campania, killed, or took prifoners,
near twenty-five thoufand men, made incurfions into
Samnium, where he furprifed three hundred and feventy ♦
Koman deferters, and fent them to Rome^ where they
were firft beaten with rods, and then thrown down the
Tarpeian rock. Fabius had alfo the fatisfadion to hear,
that his fon had gained great hon,our in Apulia, where
he took the city of Accua» almoft in fight of the Cartha-
ginian army. Marcellus returned to Nola, where he was
feized with a diilemper which, for fome time, falpended
"his martial ardor y.

In the mean time Philip, king of Macedon, who, as
we have obferved above, had concluded an ofienfive and
defenfive alliance with Hannibal, began to mbve, and
draw towards Italy. He firft laid fiege to ApoUonia, a
city at the head of the Adriatic fea ; but not fucceed-
ing in, that defign, he turned his arms againft Oricum.
The inhabitants immediately fent notice of their danger
to the pr2Etor Laevinus, who, in two days after the news,
arrived in their neighbourhood. Finding the oity already
taken, he eafily recovered it; then formed a defign of
furprifing the king of Macedon in his camp ; and exe-
cuted it with fuch fuccefs, that Philip himfelf would
have fallen into the praetor's hands, had nof a party of
Macedonians carried him off, half-naked, to his fhips.
Laevinus killed about three thoufand Macedonians, and
took near twice that number of prifoners. The Mace-
donian fleet, which lay in the port of Oricum, being
blocked up by the Roman navy, Philip was obliged to
fet fire to his (hips, and return by land to his own terri-
. tories with the miferable remains of his fhattered army *.
But Hannibal foon made himfelf amends for this difap-
pointment on the fide* of Macedon, by the troubles he '
foufid means to raife in Sicily ; where, after feveral plots,
counterplots, and aflaffinations, Hippocrates, and Epicy-
des, the two agents whom the Carthaginians had fent to
make a treaty with king Hieronymus were by the Syra-
cufans chofen into the college of praetors ; fo that Syra-
cufe, being now wholly devoted to the Carthaginian in-
tereft, it was thought neceflary to feiid Marcellus with
his army from Nola to the affiftance of Claudius and

y Liv. lib. xxiv. cap. 19, Plut. in Fab.
cij). 40.

Liv. lib. xxiv,
Lentulus,

The Roman Hijlory. ^j^

Lentulus, th« two Roman pnetoit in Sicily. As to the
particulars of this expedition, we refer our readers to our
hiftory of Sicily.

In Spain the two Scipios gained great advantage over Ad*van*
th(? Carthaginians, who, in two battles, loft above twen- tages
ty thoufand men. The fruit of thefe fuccefles was the gained bj
retaking of Saguntum, the city which had given rife to ^^^. ^V^.
the war. The old inhabitants, of whom few were now sImh^^
alive, were reinftated in their pofleffions ; and the Tur-
detani, who had formerly joined Hannibal againft that
faithful city, being obliged to furrender at difcretion,
were made flaves, and fold by au£):ion ^

* Liv. lib. xxiv* cap 41.

END OF THE TENTH VOLUME,

% ••

p' ■ "

"1